The Chandigarh Tricity has begun to feel the first signs of a fuel pinch amid the ongoing Iran conflict, with the supply of commercial LPG cylinders coming under pressure even as petrol and diesel supplies remain normal for now. Residents and authorities fear the situation could worsen if tensions in West Asia persist.
Though filling stations across the Tricity are not seeing any disruption in supplies from nearby plants, officials said gas bookings had shot up sharply after the Centre mandated a change in booking rules for domestic LPG cylinders, increasing the gap from 21 days to 25 days. In Mohali, 32 gas agencies have reported a nearly 100 per cent spike in domestic LPG cylinder bookings.
The Centre has prioritised domestic LPG supply over commercial cylinders, leaving oil marketing companies to ration the supply of commercial LPG. Hoteliers, eateries, hospitals and other institutions have started feeling the pinch as supplies of commercial gas cylinders are being regulated. An owner of two hotels in Mohali said, “We received gas supply yesterday but there was none today. The gas agency has assured supply tomorrow.
There is no crunch as of now, but we do not know how the situation will be a week later.”Ashwinder Singh Mongia of the Mohali District Petroleum Dealers Association said, “There is no disruption of fuel supply in Chandigarh and Mohali. The situation is normal, but rumours are being spread intermittently.”
