Pune: Frustration is mounting amongst residents throughout the town as delays in LPG cylinder deliveries have pushed folks to line up outdoors fuel companies within the hope of securing a refill. Speaking to TOI in queues at a number of areas, folks mentioned the uncertainty over provides has compelled many to take go away from work or shut their companies for a day to face in line, not sure about when their subsequent cylinder will arrive.Govt has elevated the minimal ready interval for reserving a home LPG cylinder refill from 21 days to 25 days, a transfer geared toward stopping hoarding and making certain equitable distribution of cooking fuel. Bookings are made on-line and crammed cylinders are delivered to households accordingly. In some elements of Pune, customers reported receiving cylinders inside two to a few days, however different areas mentioned they’re going through acute shortages. The uneven provide has triggered panic, with folks flocking to native fuel companies hoping to safe a refill instantly.Chetan Gaikwad, a house chef from Katraj, mentioned he spent the day travelling throughout Pune searching for a cylinder. “I have been running from pillar to post to get a cylinder. Someone told me to go to Kharadi, so I did. Then I went to Deccan and now I have come to Fatimanagar, but had no luck yet,” he mentioned.At a fuel distribution centre in Rahatani, the scene on Friday afternoon turned chaotic. Dozens of residents arrived carrying empty LPG cylinders on two-wheelers, bicycles, in autorickshaws and even non-public automobiles, hoping to get them refilled earlier than shares ran out.Under the blazing afternoon solar, 70-year-old Kanta Bai stood patiently in a slow-moving queue that had already stretched out for a number of hours. “The line is moving very slowly. I have already been standing here for over four hours. I just hope that I will get my refilled cylinder before the stock finishes,” she mentioned, wiping sweat from her brow.The rush compelled fuel company employees to tighten monitoring of cylinder motion. A senior employees member at a centre mentioned they had been sustaining a strict register of supply personnel amassing cylinders for house deliveries. “We are keeping a record of all agents who pick up cylinders from our centre so that they are not diverted elsewhere. With such a heavy rush, we have to ensure proper distribution,” the staffer mentioned.In one other nook of Rahatani, a bunch of college college students who had emerged from lessons sat on particular person cylinders in a queue, whereas their mother and father waited contained in the company workplace. Many residents crowded the workplace counters, making an attempt to make funds and register their bookings, sometimes resulting in heated arguments with company employees.Rupesh Sarwade, a portray contractor from Pimpri, stood beside his empty cylinder along with his workplace bag slung over one shoulder, visibly annoyed. “I thought I would get the cylinder refilled quickly, but it has already been more than two-and-a-half hours. I don’t think I will be done here anytime soon. My entire work schedule is disturbed, and I may suffer business losses because even my workers are busy arranging cylinders for their homes,” he mentioned.Amit Goyal, proprietor of the Amit Gas Agency in Wadgaonsheri, mentioned the scarcity has left distributors struggling to satisfy bookings. “We deal in Reliance gas cylinders, but for the last three days, we have not received any refill stock. We have 15-20 bookings pending, but cannot fulfil them as we don’t have any cylinders. Customers are calling every few minutes, but we are helpless,” he mentioned.Not all is misplaced, nonetheless, with some metropolis residents reporting clean entry to the cooking gas. “I booked my LPG refill through the company’s app last week, expecting a long delay because of all the news about shortages. Surprisingly, the cylinder was delivered within three days. The delivery boy said supply is irregular, but some areas are still getting cylinders as usual,” mentioned Nachiket Patil, a resident of NIBM Road.Similarly, Meenakshi Kulkarni, a resident of Aundh, mentioned, “I was worried after hearing about people standing in queues, but my booking was completed in four days. I placed the request online and the cylinder arrived without much trouble. However, the delivery staff said the situation could change anytime.”
