The LPG cylinder shortage has begun affecting several villages in Greater Noida, residents said, even as the Gautam Budh Nagar administration on Thursday maintained that there is no shortage of cylinders in the district and formed enforcement teams to monitor supply and curb black marketing and illegal refilling.
Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate Medha Roopam said, “There is no shortage of LPG cylinders in the district. Adequate stock is available with distributors. However, strict monitoring is being carried out to ensure that no one attempts to create an artificial shortage or engage in black marketing.”
Despite the administration’s assurance, residents in several villages said supply through informal channels — on which many households depend — has reduced drastically.
Rural residents in Greater Noida, many of whom rely on the black market for cooking gas, say they are among the worst hit by the scarcity and the administration’s strict monitoring. Several households still do not have formal LPG connections despite government schemes aimed at expanding access. Families that depend on informal sellers said supplies have tightened, with prices reportedly rising to as high as ₹5,000 for a 16kg cylinder in some cases.
HT visited several gas cylinder agencies in Gautam Budh Nagar on Thursday to ascertain how acute the shortage was and found that several informal outlets had not received fresh supply in the past three to four days.
Black market dealers said they were unable to meet demand due to limited incoming stock. A shop owner, requesting anonymity, said, “Cylinders aren’t available at all. Production is being controlled. Even those with valid connections are not getting cylinders.”
Indane Gas distributors, however, said their supply is linked to LPG sales volumes. Rachna Yadav, an Indane Gas distributor in Noida, said agencies receive cylinders roughly in proportion to the number they sell. “The current delays are largely due to heavy booking traffic. People are panicking and trying to book cylinders at the same time, which has slowed the system,” she said.
Residents said the situation has worsened following reports that the government has moved to ration natural gas supplies, prioritising households receiving piped natural gas, vehicles running on compressed natural gas (CNG), and units producing cooking gas (LPG).
Rumi, a resident of Chhaprauli village who goes by a single name, said her family has been repeatedly visiting shops in the hope of securing a cylinder.
“My father has been going to the shop every day since last week hoping we get a cylinder, but without success. I hear it has also become more expensive now AS some agencies are charging as high as ₹4,000 per cylinder,” she said.
A shop owner, requesting anonymity, said the shortage was affecting both formal and informal supply chains.
“Cylinders aren’t available at all. Production is being controlled. Even those with valid connections are not getting gas,” he said, adding that he was unsure when fresh supply would arrive.
Some residents said they have switched to alternative fuels to cope with the shortage. Arun Kumar, an e-rickshaw driver, said he has started cooking with firewood. “How else will I feed myself?” he said, pointing to a wooded patch nearby.
Some residents with valid connections also reported booking issues. Deepak Kumar, a resident of Rabupura, said he was unable to place an order.
“I have a proper connection, but when I went to book a cylinder, they said my consumer code was not showing in the system, so the cylinder could not be booked,” he said.
Amid these complaints, the Gautam Budh Nagar administration said four joint enforcement teams have been formed to conduct surprise inspections at gas agencies and commercial establishments to prevent black marketing, illegal refilling and hoarding of cylinders.
According to an order issued on Wednesday, separate teams have been constituted for Jewar tehsil, Greater Noida, Dadri and the Noida city area.
The administration warned that violations would invite action under provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and other applicable regulations governing LPG distribution.
Earlier this week, gas agencies in Noida witnessed an unprecedented rush as residents tried to purchase cylinders following reports that LPG supply was running low due to tensions in West Asia.
District officials maintained that the queues were largely due to panic buying rather than any disruption in supply, and urged residents not to rely on unverified information circulating online. They also asked residents to report instances of overcharging or illegal sale of LPG cylinders to the district administration.
“Inspections will continue in the coming days to ensure that distribution remains orderly and that consumers receive cylinders at authorised rates,” ADM (finance and revenue) Atul Kumar said.
Meanwhile, the district supply department has urged LPG consumers not to panic if booking helpline numbers are busy. Officials said residents can use alternative digital options such as WhatsApp booking, missed-call services, SMS/IVRS facilities and mobile applications provided by oil marketing companies to book cylinders.
The advisory was issued after several consumers reported difficulty connecting to booking numbers, which officials said had created the impression of supply disruption.
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