LPG Shortage Amid West Asia War Forces Workers Home, Hits Businesses Across India

April 2026:  The ongoing war in West Asia has triggered an LPG crisis in India. Owing to the shortage, several migrant labourers from Bihar, working in various cities across the country, are being forced to return to their hometowns, leading to increased crowds on trains.

At the Patna railway station, labourers arriving from Punjab and Delhi shared that they were compelled to return home because securing LPG had become increasingly difficult. Many workers mentioned that they were facing unusually long wait times for refills, while others claimed that gas was being sold in the black market at exorbitant prices that they simply could not afford. The labourers stated that due to no access to gas, they chose to leave their jobs and return to Bihar, where they can at least cook their meals using traditional firewood and clay stoves (chulhas).

A severe shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, along with rising prices, has hit Dehradun’s iconic roadside “Maggi points” on the way to Mussoorie, leaving vendors struggling to sustain their businesses. Another famous tea vendor Somnath Tea Stall at the GSRTC ISBT Geeta Mandir, Ahmedabad complained that due to the non-availability of cylinders footfalls have plummeted to 10% of total visitors earlier. Once bustling with tourists, these popular stops are now witnessing a sharp decline in footfall as vendors grapple with cooking delays and limited resources.

With commercial LPG either unavailable or unaffordable, many stall owners have switched to traditional wood-fired stoves. However, the shift has slowed operations significantly, making it difficult to meet customer demand. The supply disruption is not limited to roadside vendors alone. Several dhabas, restaurants and sweet shops across various locations are also facing similar challenges due to irregular LPG supply.

In response to rising demand and supply challenges, both the Uttarakhand & Gujarat government have implemented a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for commercial LPG distribution on Friday, superseding previous guidelines.

Uttarakhand Food and Civil Supplies Secretary Anand Swaroop stated that following state efforts to promote PNG, Uttarakhand secured an additional 06% quota for commercial LPG. Combined with a 20% central allocation, the state’s total quota has increased from 40% to 66%. The new SOP aims to ensure transparent, priority-based distribution to prevent shortages in key sectors such as the Char Dham Yatra, tourism, and industry. The revised SOP establishes a daily distribution of 6,310 cylinders across various consumer categories. To support the peak tourist season, hotels and resorts are allocated 1,500 cylinders (24%), while restaurants and dhabas receive 2,000 (32%). Other allocations include 300 cylinders (05%) for government guest houses, 200 each (03%) for homestays, self-help groups, and dairy units, and 1,250 (20%) for priority industries like pharmaceuticals and hospitals.

District-wise, Dehradun holds the highest share at 31%, followed by Haridwar and Nainital at 13% each, with the remaining volume distributed across the state based on demand density.

Meanwhile, in Mandya, Karnataka Autorickshaw drivers are facing severe difficulties as an ongoing shortage of LPG has disrupted operations at local auto fuel bunkers, impacting their daily livelihoods.

Several fuel bunkers across the city have remained closed for days, with “No Stock” boards displayed outside, leaving drivers unable to refuel their vehicles and continue regular operations. Many drivers, who depend entirely on daily fares to sustain themselves and operate vehicles purchased on loans, have expressed growing anxiety over the uncertain situation.

The shortage has been linked to escalating tensions and ongoing conflicts in Middle Eastern countries, which have affected LPG supply for both domestic and commercial purposes. Drivers said they are increasingly worried about sustaining their livelihoods, as many of them operate autos purchased on loans and depend entirely on daily earnings from fares.

With bunkers closed, drivers have been forced to park their vehicles near fuel stations, waiting in vain for supplies to resume. Auto drivers are struggling to make a living without LPG. Bunker staff confirmed that the closures are due to an acute shortage of gas supply, adding that they are unable to provide a timeline for when operations will normalise. The ongoing crisis has forced drivers to look for alternative work to make ends meet, highlighting the growing hardships faced by the auto community in Mandya.

Drivers have appealed to the government to intervene and ensure LPG supply resumes swiftly, emphasising that continued disruptions could severely impact their livelihoods and push many into financial distress.

Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government Of India on 03rd April 2026 said the government is making all efforts to ensure availability of Petrol, Diesel and LPG, and citizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of Petrol and Diesel as well as unnecessary booking of LPG. While apprising about the supply status of LPG, the Ministry said, “Supply of LPG is affected due to the prevailing geopolitical situation. Despite this, no reported dry-out at LPG distributorships. Online LPG cylinder bookings increased to 94% on an industry basis yesterday. To prevent diversion at the distributor level, Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) based deliveries have been increased from 53% (Feb-2026) to 86% yesterday (04th April). Around 55 Lakh Domestic LPG Cylinders were delivered on Thursday (02nd April 2026).

In the meantime, shipments of LPG are continuing to arrive in India. On Friday night (03rd April) the India-flagged gas carrier Green Sanvi safely transited a strategic maritime chokepoint, carrying approximately 46,650 metric tons of LPG, according to official sources. This follows a previous shipment of 47,000 metric tons that arrived at the Vadinar Terminal in Gujarat on March 28 via the vessel MT Jag Vasant, which is scheduled for a Ship-to-Ship (STS) transfer at anchorage.

As per government official sources, Indian Navy warships have been on standby to provide support to merchant vessels as the Centre continues negotiations with Iranian authorities to ensure safe passage amid a maritime blockade.

Suvro Sanyal – Team Maverick.