Bhubaneswar, Mar 10: Residents of Bhubaneswar are facing a severe shortage of LPG cylinders, leaving many households struggling to manage daily cooking. The crisis has triggered widespread frustration among consumers who say they have been waiting for weeks despite booking their refills in advance.
According to sources, several consumers who booked LPG cylinders 20 to 25 days ago have still not received their refills. With cooking gas unavailable, many families have been forced to switch back to traditional wood-fired stoves, while others are reportedly purchasing gas from black marketeers at inflated prices.
At the Khandagiri Lingaraj HP Gas Station, long queues of anxious customers were seen on Tuesday. Some consumers claimed they had been waiting since late at night in the hope of getting a cylinder. Many also alleged that home delivery services have been temporarily stopped, forcing people to collect cylinders directly from distributors or nearby godowns.
The shortage has caused inconvenience to hundreds of households, with several customers complaining about the lack of clear communication from distributors regarding the delay.
Officials said the crisis is mainly due to a supply shortfall from bottling plants operated by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), along with transportation issues and stock unavailability.
The Odisha government has directed oil marketing companies to take immediate steps to restore normal LPG supply and address consumer grievances at the earliest.
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