Fear of a cooking gas shortage spread across Delhi on Tuesday. Gas agencies said they received a large number of calls from worried customers. Many people tried to book extra cylinders.

This rush started just hours after the government used the Essential Commodities Act to ensure domestic supplies get priority. The move came as disruptions from the ongoing West Asia conflict raised concerns about energy supply.

Gas retailers said there is no actual shortage of LPG. However, they admitted that customers are asking for quicker deliveries because they fear supply problems.

New Booking Rule Causes Delivery Issues

A representative from Atul Enterprises in Janata Market near Jhandewalan Temple said the booking system has changed. According to him, the system is not generating booking slips due to the new rule that requires a longer gap between bookings.

“There are people who made bookings three or four days ago but we are unable to provide them cylinders because of this rule,” he said.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas confirmed that it has increased the gap between domestic LPG bookings from 21 days to 25 days. Officials said the rule aims to stop panic buying, hoarding and black marketing during the current supply disruptions.

Supply Delays Reported in Some Areas

Some gas agencies in west Delhi said they did not receive fresh supplies on Tuesday. Avinash Pandey, a storekeeper at an agency in Kirti Nagar, said their daily supply usually comes from a distributor in Haryana.

He said they normally receive about 350 cylinders every day but got none on Tuesday. “We managed with what we had from Monday. We sold about 326 cylinders today but we don’t know what will happen,” he said.

Commercial Users Face Bigger Problems

Restaurants and other commercial users are facing more uncertainty. A representative from Siddhartha Enterprises in Rajinder Nagar said the agency has stopped supplying cylinders to commercial customers following new instructions.

“What we are seeing is a spike in bookings among customers. Even though the government has said there will be no shortage, people want to ensure they have a cylinder in reserve,” he said.

Restaurants and Agencies Under Pressure

Gas agencies in Vikaspuri said they are receiving constant calls from customers. Geetanjali, manager at Indane Nairs Gas Service, said many restaurants still ask for commercial cylinders even though supplies have stopped.

“Restaurants know we can no longer provide them commercial cylinders, but they still enquire daily. Domestic consumers are coming and calling us to try and get multiple cylinders but we tell them it’s not possible,” she said.

Black Market Prices Rise

Some agencies also reported a rise in illegal sales. Harnoor Singh, manager at Milind Gas Service, said they heard that cylinders are being sold at very high prices in the black market.

A tea seller in New Friends Colony confirmed that the price of a cylinder has jumped sharply. According to him, the price has increased from ₹1,100 to ₹2,000.

Restaurants Struggle Without Gas Supply

Restaurant owners said the situation is becoming stressful in areas like Connaught Place where piped gas is not available. Varun Khera, owner of The Imperial Spice restaurant, said limited gas supply is making it difficult for restaurants to prepare certain dishes.

“For most restaurants, it is getting difficult to offer items that take up a lot of gas, especially with coal tandoors no longer allowed,” he said.