Hyderabad

K. T. Rama Rao, working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), on Thursday wrote to Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri seeking “urgent and coordinated intervention” to address the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders in Telangana.

While backing the Centre’s decision to invoke the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, Rao recommended freezing commercial cylinder prices during the crisis and introducing a public real-time dashboard to track LPG availability.

In his letter, Rao said the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders had created a serious crisis requiring immediate attention from the ministry and the committee formed to address the issue.

“The acute shortage of commercial LPG cylinders has created a crisis of significant proportions, one that demands urgent, coordinated intervention from the ministry and the committee it has constituted,” he wrote.

Rao said the decision to prioritise domestic household supply was necessary but warned that the commercial food sector was now facing severe consequences.

He cited warnings from the Telangana State Hotel Association that nearly 90 per cent of hotels and eateries in Hyderabad and across Telangana could be forced to shut within 48 hours if commercial LPG supply is not restored.

The BRS leader also proposed a tiered classification of commercial establishments for LPG allocation, calling a single uniform category one of the “most consequential policy errors”.

He suggested a framework distinguishing between large national and multinational food chains, mid-sized standalone restaurants, small independent eateries and street vendors, with priority allocation for smaller and more vulnerable operators.

Rao further suggested that oil marketing companies make booking data publicly accessible through a simplified dashboard showing expected commercial cylinder supply dates by city and district.

He also urged the Centre to freeze commercial LPG cylinder prices during the crisis, noting that prices had increased even as supplies declined.

Expressing concern over possible black market activity, Rao asked the ministry to activate dedicated district-level enforcement cells to tackle illegal diversion and pilferage of LPG cylinders.

He also proposed issuing a work-from-home advisory for the IT and service sectors and ensuring protected LPG allocations for students staying in hostels or paying guest accommodations.

Additionally, Rao flagged possible disruptions to gas-based crematoriums and urged the Centre to declare last rites as essential services.

He also called for an immediate relief mechanism for daily wage workers who could be affected by the current situation.

The shortage of commercial LPG cylinders has been reported in several areas following disruptions linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

In Telangana, the enforcement wing of the Civil Supplies Department has launched search and seizure operations to curb illegal diversion of domestic LPG cylinders, according to an official statement.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said domestic LPG production has increased by about 25 per cent and the entire output is being directed towards household consumers.

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The Ministry of Home Affairs has also strengthened its control room, which is now operating round the clock. Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is expected to make a statement in Parliament later on Thursday regarding the situation.