LPG Booking Gap Extended: India has extended the minimum gap between LPG cylinder bookings in both rural and urban areas as the government tries to manage
demand amid concerns over a possible gas supply crunch linked to the ongoing Iran war. In rural areas, the minimum waiting period between bookings has been increased to 45 days from 25 days. In urban areas, the gap has been raised to 25 days from 21 days. Hardeep Singh Puri announced the change while addressing the Lok Sabha on Thursday. "A 25-day minimum booking gap has been introduced as a demand management measure in urban areas and 45 days in rural and durgam kshetra areas," Puri said. The move comes at a time of major global energy disruption following attacks around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes. Kolkata LPG Crisis: Restaurants Switch to Wood-Fried Ovens, Menu Shrink As Cylinder Shortage Bites However, the minister said the delivery time for domestic LPG cylinders remains unchanged. According to him, the average time from booking to delivery is still 2.5 days, the same as before the crisis. "Hospitals and educational institutions have been placed on uninterrupted priority supply; their access to LPG is fully assured regardless of broader demand conditions," Puri emphasised.
Panic Booking Driving Pressure
The minister said reports from the field show that panic booking and hoarding are happening at distributor and retailer levels.
According to him, the situation is not caused by an actual shortage of LPG but by fear among consumers.
Puri told the lower house that the rush in bookings in some areas "reflects a demand distortion, not a production or supply failure."
To improve monitoring, the government is also expanding the delivery authentication code system from 50% to 90% of consumers.
"Under this system, a cylinder can only be logged as delivered when the consumer confirms receipt through a one-time code on their registered mobile, making undocumented diversion effectively impossible to conceal," Puri explained.
Commercial LPG Supply to Start
Puri also announced that the supply of commercial LPG cylinders will begin again from Thursday.
"In a major decision, 20% of the average monthly Commercial LPG requirement will be allocated from today by OMCs, in coordination with the State Governments so that there is no hoarding or black marketing," the minister said.
He added that the government is also activating alternative fuel options to reduce pressure on LPG supplies.
Kerosene will be supplied through retail outlets and the Public Distribution System (PDS), while fuel oil will be made available for industrial and commercial users.
The minister further said that domestic LPG supply remains protected, and production has been increased.
He told Parliament that LPG production has risen by 28% in the past five days to ensure adequate supply during the ongoing crisis.
