DEHRADUN: Amid rising global geopolitical uncertainty following recent tensions in West Asia, officials have urged citizens in Uttarakhand to avoid panic-booking of LPG cylinders.
Addressing concerns over supply chain disruptions, the state-level coordinator for the oil industry and Divisional Retail Sales Head of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Krishna Kumar Gupta, reassured residents that fuel supplies remain stable and sufficient.
During a press briefing held at the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in Dehradun on Monday, Gupta emphasised that while India imports approximately 80% of its crude oil and 60% of its LPG requirements, the nation’s supply infrastructure is robust.
“We are closely monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia in coordination with both the Central and State governments to ensure there is no shortage of petroleum products,” Gupta said. “Refineries across the country are operating at full capacity, and LPG production has been ramped up to meet demand.”
While supply remains consistent, officials identified "panic booking" by consumers as the primary driver behind the current delivery delays. Data presented during the briefing indicates a backlog of approximately 6.97 days for LPG cylinders in the state.
According to IOCL, the average monthly domestic LPG supply in Uttarakhand stands at 18 lakh cylinders. However, a surge in booking frequency has strained the distribution network. While in March, the state witnessed a daily supply of roughly 65,000 cylinders, current daily supply figures have dipped to around 56,000.
A similar trend is visible in non-domestic and 5 kg cylinder segments, where supply rates have significantly slowed compared to previous benchmarks. Currently, delivery wait times average 25 days in urban areas and up to 45 days in rural pockets.
"We advise citizens to utilize digital modes for booking and to avoid visiting distributors unless strictly necessary," Gupta added. "We are prioritizing the supply of non-domestic LPG to essential services, including hospitals, educational institutions, hotels, and the industrial canteen sector."
Officials highlighted that the transition to digital authentication is helping to streamline distribution. Additionally, the state continues to push for the expansion of Piped Natural Gas (PNG), with over 3.9 lakh new registrations since March 2026. Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), the state is currently distributing approximately 5,000 cylinders daily.
Addressing concerns regarding transportation fuels, officials confirmed that petrol and diesel availability remains unaffected. All 978 retail outlets across the state—comprising IOCL, BPCL, HPCL and Reliance stations are operating normally.