The rush to book domestic LPG cylinders in Kolkata has begun to ease after oil marketing companies upgraded their systems and assured consumers of uninterrupted supply.
Oil companies said a sudden surge in refill booking calls had temporarily disrupted services over the past few days. To manage the spike, companies expanded server bandwidth to handle a larger number of simultaneous calls.
A message circulated by Indane, the LPG brand of Indian Oil, urged customers not to panic and avoid visiting distributorship offices. The company assured that home delivery services would continue despite the heavy booking traffic.
Officials from Indian Oil said the situation is gradually stabilizing. While minor glitches may persist, the upgraded systems are expected to make bookings smoother in the coming days.
The center also confirmed that two Indian-flagged LPG carriers had successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach ports in Gujarat early this week, which will further strengthen supply.
On Sunday, several distributors in Kolkata remained closed, though some deliveries continued. Many consumers who could not book refills were found to have received their last cylinder less than 25 days ago, the minimum gap mandated by the government between two bookings.
Meanwhile, the supply of commercial cylinders remains limited, with some distributors meeting only about 20 percent of the demand. Priority is currently being given to essential services such as hospitals.
Oil companies have also started strictly enforcing rules that deactivate LPG connections unused for long periods. Consumers whose accounts remain inactive for over nine months will need to complete e-KYC verification to reactivate their connections.
Authorities expect the situation to normalize soon as supply lines improve and booking pressure declines.
LPG Booking Rush Eases in Kolkata as Oil Companies Stabilise Supply
