A shortage of commercial LPG cylinders reported in several Indian cities amid disruptions linked to the escalating war in West Asia has begun to ripple through local markets, with restaurants, caterers,
households and even temple kitchens reporting delays in supply. The Centre has sought to reassure the public that domestic LPG supplies remain secure, even as it asked states to monitor distribution closely and prevent hoarding or black marketing.
However, as concerns over supply disruptions grow, reports from multiple cities indicate that cylinders are increasingly being sold at higher prices in the black market, with some commercial cylinders fetching nearly double their official rates.
Below is a snapshot of black-market prices reported from cities across the country based on local News18 inputs.
- Delhi-NCR: Domestic cylinders reported selling for Rs 1,400-Rs 1,500 in the black market
- Bareilly: Domestic cylinders being sold Rs 200-Rs 500 above the official price
- Pilibhit: Domestic cylinders selling at Rs 100-Rs 200 above the regular rate.
- Meerut: Black market cylinders available in some areas for Rs 1,400+
- Mirzapur: Domestic cylinders reportedly selling for around Rs 1,300
- Ghaziabad: Domestic cylinders selling Rs 100 above the official price in some places; extra charges also reported for commercial cylinders
- Gorakhpur: Domestic cylinders selling Rs 250-Rs 300 above the official rate; commercial cylinders reportedly Rs 500-Rs 700 extra
- Ayodhya: Domestic cylinders selling at Rs 200 extra, while commercial cylinders are largely unavailable
- Kanpur: Domestic cylinders are Rs 200-Rs 250 above the normal price, while commercial cylinders are Rs 400-Rs 500 extra
- Mumbai: Commercial cylinders reportedly selling for Rs 2,800-Rs 3,000
- Hyderabad: Commercial cylinders reported selling for around Rs 3,000 or more
- Bengaluru: Black market rates reported at up to 1.5 times the normal price
- Kolkata: Commercial cylinders reportedly selling for up to Rs 3,000 in some areas
- Patna: Domestic cylinders selling in black for Rs 1,500-Rs 1,800 and commercial cylinders for Rs 3,000-Rs 3,200
- Purnia: Domestic cylinders in black market selling for Rs 1,500-Rs 2,100 and commercial ones for Rs 3,000+
- Gaya: Domestic cylinders selling in black for Rs 1,500-Rs 2,000
- Jamshedpur: Domestic cylinders reportedly selling for Rs 1,400
- Hazaribagh: Black market price of domestic cylinders is around Rs 1,500-Rs 1,700
- Ranchi: Domestic cylinders selling for Rs 1,500-Rs 1,800 in black market
- Andhra Pradesh cities (such as Vijayawada): Commercial cylinders reportedly selling for up to Rs 3,200 in black market
How Many LPG Cylinders Can You Keep at Home Legally?
Amid concerns about hoarding, authorities have reiterated the rules governing LPG storage for households.
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Under existing norms, households are allowed to keep up to two domestic LPG cylinders connected at a time, with an additional one spare cylinder permitted for backup. Keeping more cylinders than permitted without proper authorisation may attract penalties under safety and petroleum regulations.
Officials have urged consumers not to hoard cylinders and to rely only on authorised distributors for refills.
Centre Asks States To Crack Down On Black Marketing
Amid reports of shortages in several cities, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired a virtual meeting with chief secretaries of states and Union territories, senior officials from the consumer affairs ministry and state police chiefs.
According to officials, Mohan asked states to closely monitor LPG supply and distribution, ensure that there is no hoarding or black marketing, and take steps to maintain law and order around LPG sales.
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Police chiefs were directed to ensure that the sale and distribution of domestic LPG cylinders continues smoothly and that rumours about a nationwide shortage are contained.
The Centre and oil companies have also sought to reassure the public that domestic LPG supplies remain adequate.
India consumes about 31.3 million tonnes of LPG annually, of which nearly 87% is used by households and the rest by commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants. However, the country relies heavily on imports for its LPG needs, with about 62% of total consumption sourced from overseas.
The situation has come under strain after the US-Israel attacks on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which 85-90% of India’s LPG imports from West Asia pass, including supplies from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Authorities say they are monitoring the situation closely and have urged states to prevent panic buying while ensuring that supply chains remain stable.
