Panic LPG bookings delay cylinder deliveries in Telangana

Panic bookings of LPG cylinders by households have disrupted the distribution network, delaying deliveries by five to seven days in Telangana. The Federation of LPG Distributors of India said the surge in bookings, not fuel shortage, caused the backlog.

Hyderabad: The sheer volume of panic bookings of gas cylinders by households has clogged the distribution network, causing delays in delivery of gas cylinders anywhere from 5 to 7 days in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana.

The delay from the standard 48-hours is due to a massive surge in panic bookings rather than an actual fuel shortage, Federation of LPG Distributors of India (FLDI) clarified.

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“Daily bookings have surged by 60 per cent, jumping from a national average of 5.5 million to over 8.8 million. This surge has created a ‘virtual queue’ where households with nearly full cylinders are booking refills out of fear, delaying deliveries for neighbours whose stoves have actually gone cold,” says FLDI, president, P Venkateshwar Rao.

The Federation urged households to rely strictly on digital booking channels such as WhatsApp, SMS, or IVRS, as visiting showrooms in person does not accelerate the delivery process and only creates unnecessary crowding.

Consumers are also requested to treat delivery personnel with dignity and patience, as many are working 14 to 16-hour shifts to clear the current backlog and return the system to its normal 48-hour cycle.

“Despite the delivery windows moving to 5 to 7 days, no legitimate gas distributorship has gone dry. Along with the Government, we are strictly monitoring the pricing and availability of gas cylinders not only in Telangana but across the country,” the FLDI president said.