Uttarakhand Grapples with Severe LPG Shortage Amid Iran Conflict Disruptions
Dehradun: A critical LPG supply crunch, triggered by the ongoing Iran war, has plunged Uttarakhand into a severe cooking gas crisis. Long, winding queues have become a common sight outside gas booking and refilling centers across the state, with residents reporting widespread failures in online booking systems and significant delays in cylinder deliveries.
Systemic Failures and Public Frustration Mount
Customers at multiple distribution centers described a complete breakdown of digital booking channels. Phone lines remain unresponsive, mobile applications fail to generate OTPs, and SMS/IVRS services are non-functional. This technological collapse has forced countless individuals to queue physically at distribution points, often for hours or even days.
"The contact number for online booking is no longer working, the OTP on the app isn't coming through, and here at the centre the queue remains long. We are being told the supply vehicle hasn't come in three days," lamented a customer waiting at a center in Jakhan, Dehradun.
Ivan Gyan, a 75-year-old resident of Rajpur Road, echoed this frustration, stating, "It became a major hassle to book a cylinder through online platforms. WhatsApp, missed calls, and SMS/IVRS booking are not working anymore."
Small Businesses and Vendors Bear the Brunt
The crisis is hitting small commercial entities the hardest. Street food vendors, restaurants, hotels, and tea stalls, which rely on regular commercial LPG supply, are facing existential threats. Many have been forced to alter their cooking methods, switching to tandoors, induction cooktops, or even planning to install wood-fired stoves.
A street food vendor at Dehradun's Clock Tower warned, "If my regular cylinder is not delivered this weekend, I will not be able to operate my stall from next week." Sweet shop owner Dinesh Agrawal from Dineshpur highlighted the disruption to food preparation, while hotelier Deepak Kapdi confirmed most establishments are relying on alternative arrangements.
Restaurant owner Surendra Singh has scaled down production, preparing items in limited quantities. The situation is dire for small vendors like Manoj Pandey, who runs a tea stall: "My cylinder finished two days ago and work came to a halt. Now I am planning to install a small wood-fired stove."
Households Resort to Desperate Measures
The shortage is severely impacting households, particularly in rural areas. Arjun Kumar, a factory worker from Transit Camp, spent three days queuing instead of working. "Neither are cylinders available nor is booking possible. At home, my wife is cooking on firewood," he said.
In rural Bageshwar district, large crowds gathered outside agencies like Garud Indane Gas Agency from early morning, with many, especially the elderly, struggling with the online system. Hema Devi, 50, expressed confusion over the new digital process, while Nandi Devi cited server congestion preventing OTP delivery.
The desperation has fueled black marketing. Baby Rani of Jagatpura alleged, "I am buying gas in the black market at Rs 200 per kg to cook food for my kids."
Administrative Response and Enforcement Actions
District administrations in Dehradun and Haridwar have established control rooms to monitor the crisis and intensified enforcement against hoarding and black marketing. Officials suggest that panic buying may be exacerbating the problem more than the actual reduction in supply.
In a significant crackdown, the district administration conducted a raid in Gadarpur tehsil following a tip-off about illegal LPG refilling. A joint team, supervised by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Richa Singh, inspected a shop in Ramjeevanpur, seizing nine domestic and three commercial cylinders along with a refilling kit. Action has been initiated under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
A Glimmer of Hope and Official Assurance
Some relief arrived as two trucks from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (Indane) reached the Himani Gas Agency in Dalanwal on Friday, prioritizing prior bookings. Agency manager Anil Kumar Raturi expressed hope for more cylinders on Saturday.
District Supply Officer GB Pandey acknowledged the issue, attributing it to a temporary technical glitch in Indian Oil Corporation's online portal. "The problem is being resolved and normal services will resume soon," he assured.
However, the crisis remains widespread, with long queues reported in Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Pithoragarh, Uttarkashi, and Munsyari, indicating a state-wide emergency that demands urgent resolution.
