Domestic supply stable, but commercial cylinder shortage fuels black market in Gurgaon

Gurgaon: Domestic LPG supply in Gurgaon has remained stable, even as a shortage of commercial cylinders — amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia — has triggered black marketing in the city hitting small restaurants, dhabas and street vendors the hardest. Officials said there has been no disruption in domestic LPG distribution in the city. There were no queues outside LPG agencies till Wednesday, and no food establishment has shut operations so far. However, restrictions on commercial supply have pushed many small food businesses to seek cylinders through informal channels at sharply inflated prices.Large restaurants connected to piped natural gas (PNG) networks have largely remained unaffected. But owners of smaller establishments said the reduced availability of commercial cylinders has driven prices up steeply in the underground market. A 19kg commercial cylinder that cost about Rs 1,700 till Sunday is now being sold for Rs 3,500–Rs 4,500 in the black market, they said.Govt recently directed LPG distributors to increase the waiting period for domestic cylinders from 15 to 25 days and halt supply of commercial cylinders to the food industry till further order. Agencies were also told to continue supplying commercial cylinders to essential institutions such as schools, hostels and hospitals.Restaurant owners said they are trying to manage the situation by relying on existing stocks or purchasing cylinders at higher prices to avoid shutting their kitchens. Many said they were willing to absorb the additional cost for now, though they warned that a prolonged shortage could affect operations."So far we are managing with the cylinders we already have," said Parveen Kumar, who runs Cafe Crush in Sector 38. "Commercial cylinders are available in the market, but distributors are asking almost double the normal price. We are paying more because we need to keep the kitchen running," Kumar said. Santosh Kumar, who operates a roadside eatery on Sohna Road, said stocking up is not an option for him. "We only keep two cylinders at a time and get them refilled. One is always in reserve. I can't afford to close the stall because this is my only livelihood," he said.According to industry estimates, around 5,000 commercial LPG cylinders are supplied daily in Gurgaon, most of them to small food businesses. Arun Sachdeva of Raj Gas Service said his agency has not received fresh stock of commercial cylinders since Monday. "The last consignment arrived on Saturday," he said.District officials said the administration is keeping a close watch on the situation. Deputy commissioner Ajay Yadav urged establishments to report any cases of black marketing and said action would be taken if complaints are received.LPG distributors, meanwhile, denied any involvement in illegal sales through their official networks, though some acknowledged that cylinders could be circulating outside authorised channels.