NEW DELHI: Clutching empty cylinders, women, young children, senior citizens and office-goers, who had taken time off on Thursday, stood in long queues outside LPG distribution agencies across the city even as glitches in the booking system triggered panic among consumers desperately trying to secure domestic refills.At a gas agency in Kamla Nagar, the line stretched outside its gate throughout the day, with many locals saying their online booking attempts had repeatedly failed.A few children accompanied their mothers to help carry the cylinders home. Among them was Hashim (15), who stood in the queue with his mother and younger brother while observing the Ramzan fast. “We have been standing here since the morning. The booking was not going through from home. They have given us a slip and are helping us fill it in. After this, we will go to the godown to collect the cylinder,” he said.As the agency’s closing time approached, the crowd continued to swell, and the staff had to lock the gates to prevent more people from entering. “We are making slips for everyone and sending them to the godown. If cylinders are available, everyone will get one,” said Deepak, who works at the agency. Several residents were seen sitting on the pavement after hours of waiting, while others rushed towards the godown with booking slips only to find it shut due to the heavy rush. Those who arrived late said they would have to return the next day despite having run out of gas at home. “My cylinder is empty. In the black market, it is extremely expensive and here the queues are very long. I will have to try my luck tomorrow,” another resident said.Agency owner Shweta Vaid said there was no shortage of cylinders and attributed the rush to server glitches caused by heavy traffic on the booking portal. “The server slows down when too many people try to access the website at the same time. We have sufficient stock and everyone will get a cylinder,” she said. Similar scenes were seen outside several such agencies across the city.Commercial LPG crunchThe impact of the restricted supply of commercial LPG is being felt by large establishments. Sitaram Diwan Chand, a popular chhole bhature chain, said two of its outlets in east Delhi had to be shut temporarily on Thursday. “The gas supply in our Laxmi Nagar and Krishna Nagar outlets has dried up. Tomorrow, we won’t be able to open them because we currently have zero stock and no backup,” said Puneet Kohli, director of the chain. He said the main outlet in Paharganj may also shut by Friday if supplies are not restored.“Our outlets require six to seven cylinders a day. Around 60 to 70 workers will be affected. Beyond the financial loss, we worry about losing our regular customers. It is very difficult to build a customer base,” he said. Smaller vendors are also being hit hard. At the bustling Sunil tea shop near ITO, operations slowed after its cylinder ran out of gas in the afternoon. While a small flame remained to brew tea, the stove used for frying samosa had already gone cold. “The owner has gone to arrange another cylinder; only then can we continue,” a worker said. The stall may shut on Friday if a refill is not available, the owner said.A representative of National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) said, “Supply is still disrupted. We have been informed that our request to resume partial supply to restaurants is under consideration. We hope for a quick resolution.” IGL said domestic PNG and CNG supplies are being prioritised under Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026. “We assure uninterrupted supply of domestic PNG for household cooking and CNG for public transport and private vehicles,” the company said.No scarcity, says govt Delhi govt on Thursday assured that the supply of LPG, petrol, diesel and PNG across the capital is completely normal and there is no scarcity of fuel. “Residents are advised to refrain from panic buying or hoarding and are urged to ignore rumours regarding disruptions in the fuel supply chain,” it said. IGL also said domestic PNG supply is stable. Govt said that according to oil marketing companies, Delhi has adequate stocks of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG, which will ensure the supply chain operates seamlessly. The department of food supplies and consumer affairs has deployed field officers to facilitate hassle-free booking and ensure compliance. Enforcement teams are conducting inspections to curb black marketing and hoarding. A strict vigil is being maintained to prevent the diversion of domestic LPG cylinders for commercial use in restaurants and eateries. Govt is also making arrangements to ensure regulated supply of commercial LPG in due course, said officials.
