New Delhi

Concerns over LPG supply disruptions have begun to affect households and students in the national capital, with many residents turning to induction stoves while others rely on outside food as the widening conflict in West Asia impacts energy supplies.

Resident welfare groups said the situation has created anxiety among families with limited LPG stock and uncertainty over when they will receive refills.

Atul Goyal, president of the United Residents Joint Action (URJA) — an umbrella body representing about 2,500 resident welfare associations (RWAs) across Delhi — said several residents have approached the organisation with complaints about the shortage of LPG cylinders.

“People are telling us they are unable to get gas cylinders anywhere and are forced to use induction stoves. But they worry that this will significantly increase their electricity bills and are unsure how long they can continue like this,” Goyal said.

Amid the situation, the government has revised the priority order for allocating domestically produced natural gas, placing LPG production — along with CNG and piped cooking gas — at the top.

Residents’ groups said the shortage has hit student areas particularly hard.

B N Jha, president of the Mukherjee Nagar RWA, said the issue is affecting students living in rented flats and paying guest (PG) accommodations in Mukherjee Nagar, a neighbourhood known for its large student population.

According to him, several students have reported difficulty obtaining LPG refills and have been forced to rely on outside food, increasing their daily expenses.

“Students have said they are not getting gas refills and are forced to eat outside. In some PG accommodations, residents have said meals have been reduced in recent days, with some places serving only one meal a day,” Jha said.

Similar concerns were raised by Sanjay Gupta, president of the Model Town RWA, who said residents are anxious about their remaining LPG stock.

“Many residents are visiting local distributors every morning just to ensure their booking is confirmed. One resident said the LPG cylinder he is currently using is about to finish but he cannot get a refill anywhere,” Gupta said.

Some RWAs also highlighted concerns among households that rely on piped natural gas (PNG) connections.

B S Vohra, president of the Federation of North East Delhi RWAs, said many households in the area depend solely on PNG connections and do not maintain LPG cylinders as backup due to existing regulations.

He said residents fear that if piped gas supply is disrupted, they may not have an alternative cooking option.

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“Those with PNG connections are generally not supposed to keep LPG cylinders. So residents are worried that if their piped gas supply is affected, they will not have the option of shifting to LPG either,” Vohra said.