Gurgaon's Vulnerable Communities Hit Hard by Cooking Gas Shortage
In the wake of escalating tensions in West Asia, Gurgaon is grappling with a severe tightening of cooking gas supplies, with the most devastating impact felt in JJ clusters and other slum areas. Daily wage laborers, domestic workers, and migrant families, who depend on 5-litre cylinders for their daily meals, are now facing a crisis that threatens their basic sustenance.
Skyrocketing Prices and Scarce Access
For many residents in these impoverished neighborhoods, mini cylinders are the only viable option due to a lack of formal LPG connections. However, this fragile lifeline is rapidly slipping away as refill rates have surged dramatically from approximately Rs 100 per kg to nearly Rs 400 per kg. The crisis extends beyond mere price hikes; access has become a critical issue. Even after paying exorbitant amounts, many are receiving only 1 kg of gas at a time, which lasts just a few days, forcing repeated and often futile trips to informal refill points in local markets.
Voices from the Ground: Struggles of the Marginalized
Shafiq, a car cleaner, highlighted the systemic barriers faced by low-income individuals. "We are unable to obtain regular LPG connections because authorities demand address proofs and other documents we simply do not possess," he explained. "Our reliance on small cylinders refilled in local markets has become untenable. The rate has jumped from Rs 100 to Rs 400 per kg, and even then, supply is scarce, with vendors dispensing only 1 kg at a time."
For some, the shortage has already disrupted daily routines. Nargis Mandal, a domestic staffer from Indira Colony, shared her ordeal: "My cylinder ran out, and I could not find a replacement. We have been struggling since Wednesday, resorting to eating food from outside for two days. Shops in our area that typically sell small cylinders report no stock. I traveled to Kanhai and Chakkarpur but returned empty-handed." She added that even those with regular connections are affected, citing her father's difficulty in booking a cylinder, with quotes as high as Rs 4,000 for a 14-kg unit.
Widening Impact Beyond Slum Clusters
The problem is no longer confined to slum areas. Praveen Malik, RWA president of Rising Homes, noted that tenants and residents without permanent LPG connections are also under immense pressure. "In our society, piped gas has not commenced even after nearly two years of infrastructure installation. Consequently, several households depend on private vendors, some of whom are exploiting the situation by selling cylinders on the black market. A cylinder that usually costs around Rs 900 is now being sold for Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000," he revealed.
Small Businesses Feel the Squeeze
Small enterprises are not immune to the crisis. Manoj, who operates a tea stall near an IT park in Sector 48, reported that vendors who previously sourced cylinders through informal channels are now paying three to four times more. This surge in costs is putting additional strain on already struggling businesses, exacerbating the economic challenges faced by the local community.
The cooking gas shortage in Gurgaon underscores a broader issue of energy insecurity among marginalized populations, exacerbated by global conflicts. As prices continue to rise and access dwindles, the daily lives of countless families hang in the balance, calling for urgent attention from policymakers and stakeholders.
