LPG crisis: Panic bookings by domestic consumers, server crash trigger chaos

LPG crisis: Panic bookings by domestic consumers, server crash trigger chaos 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 13.03.2026

Anxiety over LPG shortage has spilled over to the domestic sector, fuelling panic bookings of cooking gas cylinders, while server glitches in the IVRS and other online booking systems are prompting people to queue up outside distribution agencies, compounding the chaos and fraying the nerves of consumers as well as suppliers across the country. 

Despite govt’s direction to prioritise domestic LPG, consumers said supplies on the ground remained uncertain. Dealers maintained that while commercial LPG supply has come to a complete halt, domestic LPG supply has not been stopped but deliveries have slowed sharply. Amid an unprecedented surge in bookings through digital platforms, including mobile apps and websites, servers crashed, making people across cities dash to dealer outlets to get their cylinders refilled. 

Ship, led by Indian capt, arrives in Mumbai 

A Liberian-flagged ship, “captained by an Indian national”, loaded with crude oil from the Saudi Arabian port of Ras Tanura has arrived at the port of Mumbai, via the Strait of Hormuz, Mumbai Port Trust has informed, reports Surendra Singh . Tanker Shenlong Suezmax, allegedly carrying approximately 135,335 metric tonne (or roughly 1 million barrels) of crude oil, had departed from the Saudi port on March 1 and reached Mumbai on Wednesday, , becoming the first vessel to safely navigate the strait to reach the Indian shores amid the war. Section 

 System not built to handle heavy traffic, says authority Consumers across the country complained that IVRS numbers, WhatsApp booking channels and other systems were either inaccessible or unresponsive, and repeated attempts ended with the same message — “server down”. Many others who had already placed orders said they were receiving cancellation alerts. In Mumbai, dealers reported a more than 100% surge in daily bookings as anxious consumers rushed to secure supplies. Subham Pradhan, a Gurgaon resident, said he had made 50 attempts in the last two days to book a refill without success. A Kolkata resident said he had booked a cylinder about 15 days ago but still did not receive it. Shashi Kant Sharma, vice-president of Federation of LPG Distributors of India, said the system was not built to handle such heavy traffic. “We are working on it at the backend,” he said.