After the outbreak of conflict in West Asia in March, LPG supplies to both domestic and commercial customers have largely normalised. Yet oil marketing companies (OMCs) have not issued any new domestic connections, leaving thousands of consumers in a limbo.

Voices from the Ground

In Chennai, newly‑married couples recount months of waiting. Uthanraj, a provision‑store employee, said, “We got married in February and moved to Chennai in March. Our landlord gave us an induction stove, but it’s slow and cannot accommodate all our cookware. The gas agency suggested a small cylinder, but that is prohibitively expensive for us.”

Another couple, married in May, expressed frustration over the lack of a proper gas connection. “My wife is not comfortable cooking on an induction stove – it runs on electricity and makes her nervous. I have to be home to help her, but I work outside. We are currently using 5‑kg cylinders and ordering food. The government must accelerate new connections,” the husband said.

Distributor Dilemma

Distributors report daily footfall of customers seeking new connections, yet they can only record names and phone numbers with a promise of “soon.” One distributor added, “We are unable to issue new connections; we are merely noting details and hoping the OMCs act.”

Compounding the issue, OMC officials have been pressuring distributors to sell gas stoves and orange hoses despite the lack of new connections. “If connections were issued, we could sell stoves. For now, forcing consumers to buy stoves makes no sense. Some distributors hold thousands of hoses that could take two years to clear, leading to sub‑standard equipment for consumers,” a distributor explained.

Potential Way Forward

Energy policy analysts argue that OMCs must streamline the approval process for domestic LPG connections, aligning with regulator mandates. Simultaneously, the government should consider subsidised small‑cylinder schemes and promote induction‑compatible cookware to reduce dependence on unreliable gas supplies.