Patna: LPG cylinder deliveries in Patna have been facing persistent delays, with consumers reporting waiting periods of 10 to 14 days. The situation has worsened as the backlog of pending bookings has crossed 1,98,000, according to administrative data.
Officials said the mismatch between daily demand and supply, along with operational constraints at the agency level, is contributing to the extended waiting period.
Extended Waiting Period for Consumers
Consumers who earlier received cylinders within five to six days after booking are now experiencing longer delays. In several cases, delivery timelines initially shown within a week are being extended by an additional seven days through updated notifications.
Some consumers have reported receiving revised delivery dates after the original expected schedule, further adding to uncertainty in supply timelines.
Rising Backlog and Supply Shortfall
District-level supply data shows that the daily requirement stands at around 30,359 domestic cylinders, while the current supply is approximately 28,221 cylinders. This daily shortfall of over 2,000 cylinders is steadily adding to the backlog.
The accumulated pending bookings have now reached 1,98,015 cylinders, reflecting continued pressure on the distribution system.
Weekly Closure Impact
Officials noted that gas agencies remain closed on Sundays as part of a weekly schedule, while bookings continue to be placed on that day in large numbers. This has added to the operational burden on working days and contributed to delayed deliveries.
Authorities have suggested improving distribution on other days of the week to offset the Sunday closure impact.
Monitoring and Enforcement Actions
Out of 136 gas agencies in the district, several have been identified as sensitive and are under enhanced monitoring with deployment of administrative and police personnel.
Security has also been strengthened at the bottling plant to ensure smoother supply chain operations.
Special inspection teams have been conducting regular checks across agencies, hotels, and commercial establishments to curb irregularities and black marketing.
Inspections and Action Taken
So far, inspections have been carried out at over 2,200 locations, leading to the seizure of more than 200 cylinders and registration of multiple FIRs. Despite these enforcement measures, officials acknowledge that supply conditions have not shown significant improvement.
Commercial Pressure on Domestic Supply
Officials also flagged misuse of subsidised domestic cylinders in commercial establishments, driven by the cost difference between domestic and commercial LPG.
The price gap has encouraged some businesses to rely on household cylinders, while illegal refilling of smaller cylinders has also been reported in several areas at high local rates.
