Chandigarh, March 11 (UNI) The ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia have begun to impact the local economy in Punjab, leading to a near-total collapse of commercial LPG cylinder supplies across the state.
With stocks reportedly down to mere two-three days, the crisis threatens to disrupt approximately 10,000 scheduled weddings. Gas agencies are currently struggling to clear a backlog of bookings, with a reported pendency of seven to eight days.
While District Food Supply Officer Sartaj Singh Cheema has assured that domestic LPG supplies remain stable for now, disruptions in the booking servers in Ludhiana and Faridkot have started affecting residential consumers as well.
The shortage has hit the hospitality sector particularly hard, with supply lines halted in several districts, including Hoshiarpur, Patiala, and Faridkot, since Monday. Amarvir Singh, President of the Punjab Hotel and Restaurant Association, confirmed that the complete stoppage of commercial gas has left families planning weddings and functions in a state of panic.
Industry leaders have called for urgent meetings to address the situation, warning of a potential crisis if a solution is not reached within the next 48 hours. In many areas, small businesses and dhaba owners have reported being forced to purchase cylinders at exorbitant black-market prices, with costs skyrocketing from ₹1600 to nearly ₹3500 in just ten days.
The ripple effect is also being felt in Ludhiana, where high call volumes and panic-booking have significantly slowed down the LPG companies’ servers, making it difficult for domestic users to secure refills.
In Jalandhar, new restrictions have been implemented, limiting domestic consumers to just one booking per month compared to the previous 15-day cycle. In response to the scarcity, many vendors have begun reverting to diesel-fired stoves to keep their businesses operational.
Meanwhile, the management at the Golden Temple in Amritsar has clarified that while the langar hall consumes 25 to 30 cylinders daily alongside 1,200 units of piped gas, they have not yet faced a shortage, though gas companies have requested a detailed written report on their daily consumption requirements.
Gas agency owners have attributed part of the distribution delay to incomplete Know Your Customer (KYC) documentation. They have urged consumers to complete their KYC formalities immediately and maintain physical copies of their bookings to expedite the delivery process.
In Rupnagar, hotel owners have echoed the demand for government intervention, noting that while the current marriage season is relatively slow, any further delay in normalizing supplies will have devastating consequences for the hospitality industry and local businesses.
West Asia conflict triggers commercial LPG shortage in Punjab
