Uttarakhand Grapples with Severe LPG Supply Crisis Amid Extended Booking Window
While the central government has extended the LPG refill booking period to 45 days to ease consumer access, several parts of Uttarakhand continue to face acute supply and distribution challenges. The situation is particularly dire in rural and remote areas, where poor connectivity, difficult terrain, and escalating transport costs have exacerbated the problem, forcing many households and businesses to revert to traditional cooking methods.
Ground Reports Reveal Widespread Disruption Across Multiple Districts
Official statements maintain that domestic LPG supply remains normal, but ground reports from districts including Nainital, Uttarkashi, Almora, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar paint a starkly different picture. These areas are experiencing significant shortages, prolonged delays, and an increasing dependence on alternate fuels like firewood and diesel.
In Nainital district, the village of Gairi Khet, located merely 6 kilometers from the Uttarakhand High Court, lacks a motorable road. Residents depend on an unpaved trail, with essential items like LPG cylinders being manually carried by laborers at exorbitant costs. "The primary concern isn't the price hike of the gas itself, but the prohibitive cost of transporting the cylinder to our village," explained resident Dheeraj Arya. The monsoon season worsens the crisis, as routes become nearly impassable and laborers demand higher wages due to the increased risk.
Commercial Sector Crippled, Daily Life Disrupted
The shortage of commercial LPG cylinders has severely disrupted daily life and business operations across the state. Hoteliers, restaurant owners, and dhaba operators are among the worst affected, with many alleging the disruption began following restrictions linked to government Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and supply has yet to normalize.
Neeraj Rawat, owner of "Crazy Kitchen" in Bageshwar, highlighted the extreme measures some are taking: "With no gas supply, I had to travel all the way to Delhi to arrange a large induction cooking unit. Our sales have plummeted to just 10% of normal, and losses are mounting with each passing day."
Many households have been forced to return to wood-fired stoves. Deep Joshi from Saat Ratbe village stated that both his cylinders are empty. "We are now cooking on firewood as the shortage has persisted for several days with no relief in sight," he said.
Official Responses and Logistical Hurdles
District officials offer a more controlled assessment. District Supply Officer G.B. Pandey asserted, "Domestic LPG supply remains normal and commercial cylinders are being distributed strictly as per SOP guidelines." However, ground realities contradict these claims.
In Uttarkashi, LPG supply has not reached the district headquarters for three consecutive days. Sweet shop owner Gaurav Gummbar reported a drastic fall in production from 100 kg to 25–30 kg daily. "We have started using a diesel furnace and have been forced to cancel wedding and party orders for the next month. Several restaurants have also shut down temporarily due to the crippling shortage," he revealed.
District Supply Officer Ashish Kumar acknowledged that while stock is available in other parts of Uttarkashi, the headquarters currently has only 60 cylinders, reserved for essential services like hospitals and the army. A supply truck is expected to arrive soon.
Persistent Backlogs and Enforcement Actions
In Pithoragarh, officials reported normal supply except in the remote blocks of Munsyari and Dharchula. District Supply Officer Vinay Kumar noted there are approximately 1.6 lakh domestic connections in the district, with a daily requirement of about 2,000 cylinders. Of the ten gas agencies in Pithoragarh town, only two are functioning normally; the remaining eight, serving rural areas, are facing significant delays. Residents fear the situation may deteriorate further in the coming weeks if supply gaps are not addressed promptly.
In the state capital, Dehradun, queues at gas agencies have reduced following directives to stop on-the-spot refilling and allow only bookings. However, the shortage of commercial LPG continues to severely affect establishments, with many curtailing menus or shifting to alternative fuels. Data from Friday showed 24,459 domestic and 269 commercial consumers received cylinders, but a daunting backlog of about 93,000 domestic cylinders remains.
Officials attributed part of this backlog to a technical glitch in the booking software three days prior, during which supplies had to be managed by manually recording consumer details in registers. A current stock of 36,743 domestic and 1,592 commercial cylinders is available. Meanwhile, enforcement is active, with the district administration registering five cases of black marketing, sending three individuals to jail, and seizing 150 domestic, 139 commercial, and seven small cylinders. Inspections by quick response teams are ongoing, and home deliveries are being conducted using OTP verification for security.
