Customers demand ₹42 refund as they are forced to collect from agencies
Hyderabad: Delays in domestic LPG cylinder delivery have been reported across the city, even as the civil supplies department maintained that there is no shortage of supply amid concerns linked to the West Asian crisis.
According to data from the Telangana civil supplies department on April 1, a total of 2,49,099 domestic LPG cylinders were supplied. Of these, Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) accounted for 1,06,722 cylinders, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) for 90,633, and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) for 51,743. The department reiterated that there is no shortage of domestic LPG cylinders in the state.
As per norms, LPG agencies are required to deliver cylinders within 72 hours of booking. However, several consumers told this newspaper that deliveries are taking longer than the stipulated time.
Umesh Kumar Palley, a resident of SBI Colony in Gandhi Nagar, said, “I booked the cylinder through an app on March 31 and paid in advance. When I visited the agency on Thursday after the 72-hour period, I was told delivery would take more time as many customers were waiting at the Indian Gas Agency in Acharya Nagar, Azamabad. How can agencies ask customers to collect cylinders from the agency?”
Rajiv Amaram, joint secretary of CIPD, said, “This agency is now run by the civil supplies department. If there is no shortage, why are there delays? Cylinders are meant to be delivered to customers’ homes. Since ₹42 is charged for home delivery, agencies effectively gain that amount when customers collect cylinders themselves. That charge should be refunded if delivery is not provided.”
