NEW DELHI: Senior Delhi Police officials have instructed officers to prepare lists of gas agencies in their areas and deploy personnel to maintain law and order amid ongoing LPG supply issues in the city. The move aims to ensure smooth distribution of cooking gas cylinders and prevent black marketing, police said on Thursday.A senior police officer said Station House Officers (SHOs) have been asked to maintain a visible police presence around gas agencies, according to news agency PTI.
“The SHOs will deploy police personnel along with PCR vans and motorcycle patrol riders near gas agencies to maintain law and order and ensure that the distribution process remains smooth,” the officer said.The officer added that the main goal is to deter hoarding or illegal sale of LPG cylinders at inflated prices.“The sole motive is to maintain law and order and avoid any kind of black marketing. We want to ensure that people receive LPG cylinders through the proper distribution system,” the officer added.Beat staff and motorcycle patrol units will regularly monitor gas agencies and their surroundings. Another officer noted that the police are compiling a list of shopkeepers who allegedly refill small LPG cylinders at excessively high prices.“Such shopkeepers will be identified, and strict action will be taken against them. No one will be permitted to engage in gas black marketing,” the officer asserted.Illegally refilled LPG cylinders also pose safety risks. “Filling cylinders illegally can pose a risk of fire incidents and blasts. Apart from being illegal, it can also endanger lives and property,” he added.Police teams, including plain-clothes personnel, have been instructed to remain vigilant and gather information on such illegal activities.“Motorcycle riders and plain-clothes police personnel will keep checking their areas and contact local sources to find out if anyone is involved in illegal refilling or black marketing of LPG,” the officer said.The directives come as irregular LPG supplies are affecting households and businesses across Delhi. Industry representatives say restaurants and cafes, heavily reliant on LPG, are struggling to cope.Manpreet Singh, Honorary Treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), said, “Many establishments in Delhi are not receiving regular LPG supplies. Some of them are shifting to alternatives like piped natural gas and induction cooking to keep their kitchens running,” Several eateries have reportedly run out of fuel, forcing them to limit menus or switch cooking methods. Industry representatives warn that prolonged disruption could increase operational costs, affecting staff wages in smaller establishments.The shortage comes amid the widening conflict in West Asia, with the government prioritising domestic natural gas allocation for LPG production, compressed natural gas (CNG), and piped cooking gas. Supplies to other industries are being limited under the revised allocation policy.Police will continue monitoring the situation to prevent illegal sales. Meanwhile, protests and roadblocks were reported in Noida, with police managing traffic.Visuals from Delhi’s Vikas Nagar showed a young boy carrying an empty LPG cylinder on his back while searching for a refill.“I have been searching for a shop since morning. The cylinder at home ran out of gas yesterday evening. Shopkeepers are selling it for Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,500. Earlier, we used to get it for Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,100,” he said, adding that residents in his area are struggling as most shops have run out of cylinders.
