India LPG Gas Cylinder Shortage News Live Updates: Now, police protection for LPG cylinders

India LPG Gas Cylinder Shortage Live News Updates: India is navigating a critical LPG cylinder supply crunch exacerbated by reported panic buying as West Asia tensions disrupt global energy lanes. With household kitchen budgets under strain and commercial sectors facing rationing, the situation is evolving rapidly across major metros.

We are tracking the India LPG shortage in real-time. From the arrival of the Shivalik LPG carrier at Mundra Port to the latest LPG price and supply updates, this live blog provides verified information on availability, government mandates, and ground reports from across the country.

Amid reports of a commercial gas cylinder shortage, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) has prioritised domestic consumers while enforcing strict e-KYC protocols. Stay with us for the latest news on price hikes, supply schedules, and official advisories.

Key Updates: India Gas Crisis Logistical relief: The Shivalik LPG carrier, carrying over 40,000 metric tonnes of gas, is expected to dock at Mundra Port today. A second vessel, Nanda Devi, is slated for arrival on March 17 to further bolster stocks.

Police protection: Amid panic buying and reports of hoarding, Maharashtra government has authorised police protection for LPG cylinders during transportation and delivery to consumers.

New distribution rules: The government has increased the mandatory inter-booking gap to 25 days to prevent hoarding and has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to regulate supply.

Mandatory e-KYC: All domestic consumers must complete biometric Aadhaar authentication via the Aadhaar FaceRD app or at local distributorships to ensure uninterrupted service.

Price surge: Domestic 14.2 kg LPG cylinder prices in Delhi have hit ₹913 (up by ₹60), while commercial cylinders have jumped to ₹1,884.50, impacting the hospitality and restaurant sectors.

Canteen menus cut: The LPG supply crunch has begun to hit India’s IT giants, with some campuses of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) asking employees to bring food from home. At the same time, Cognizant and Wipro have sharply reduced canteen menus as corporate kitchens across Pune, Bengaluru, and other cities run low on cooking gas.

Stay with this live blog for verified updates, government responses, and supply status across India.

City gas distribution companies have rolled out incentives to encourage consumers to shift from LPG to piped cooking gas (PNG) as part of the government plan to ease pressure on LPG supplies, a senior petroleum ministry official said on Monday.

Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) - the CNG and piped cooking gas (PNG) retailer in Delhi and adjoining cities - is offering domestic consumers free gas worth Rs 500 if they take a PNG connection and start using it before March 31, while Mumbai-retailer Mahanagar Gas Ltd has announced incentives, including waiver of Rs 500 registration charge for domestic household consumers and Rs 1-5 lakh security deposit for commercial users. Similar promotional measures have also been introduced by GAIL and BPCL, said Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG).

"The current situation is worrying. But LPG is being supplied to our domestic LPG consumers to meet all their requirements. There are no reports of dry-outs at any LPG distributorship," the official said.

The conflict in West Asia is affecting meals in Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

With supply to commercial entities affected, kitchens and eateries on campus are feeling the heat.

Student leaders are also warning that hostel mess bills could rise soon. Tap here to read full story

The Delhi Crime Branch has uncovered an illegal LPG storage in Mundka and seized 610 gas cylinders.

This comes amid reports of panic buying and alleged supply shortage.

The police found commercial LPG cylinders of Indane, Bharat Gas, and HP Gas stored together, "violating LPG control regulations and licensing norms".

Tap here to read full report

#watch | In a major enforcement action, the Crime Branch, Delhi Police busted an illegal LPG cylinder hoarding racket operating from a godown in Mundka, Outer Delhi. 610 LPG Cylinders of Indane, Bharat Gas & HP Gas were seized, which were illegally stored: Delhi Police(Source:… pic.twitter.com/PW5xuprx6d— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

#watch | In a major enforcement action, the Crime Branch, Delhi Police busted an illegal LPG cylinder hoarding racket operating from a godown in Mundka, Outer Delhi. 610 LPG Cylinders of Indane, Bharat Gas & HP Gas were seized, which were illegally stored: Delhi Police(Source:… pic.twitter.com/PW5xuprx6d

Amid reports of panic buying and shortage of LPG cylinders, the Maharashtra government has authorised police protection for LPG cylinders.

This will be both during the transportation and delivery of the LPG cylinder.

That's just part of the measures being undertaken. Tap here to read this report

Suspended Lok Sabha MPs Hibi Eden, Prashant Yadaorao Padole, Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, B. Manickam Tagore with other MPs protest at the Parliament premises over the reports of nationwide shortage of LPG gas cylinders, during the ongoing Budget Session, in New Delhi on Monday. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi also present. (ANI Photo/Rahul Singh)

The situation on ground remains volatile with people still crowding and queing up at LPG distribution centres despite government's assurance that enough cooking fuel was available for everyone. Here are a few pictures capturing the mood on India's streets

A vendor prepares food on a coal fired stove amid the disruption in LPG supply following the worsening West Asia conflict, at a roadside stall, in Kolkata, Monday, March 16, 2026. (PTI Photo)

People gather to submit details before collecting LPG cylinders amid shortage crisis, in Sector 4 of Noida, Monday, March 16, 2026. (PTI Photo)

Pointing out that there has been "no incident" in the last 24 hours, the government is saying that all Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf area are safe.

"No incident has been reported in the last 24 hours, and we are keeping a continuous watch on the situation. We are in touch with each vessel and its crew. 22 vessels, as was reported on Saturday, also. 22 Indian flag vessels with 611 Indian seafarers remain in the west of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf...", said Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the shipping ministry.

LoP, Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the House on the LPG supply issue amid West Asia conflictHe says, "I want to draw the govt's attention towards the LPG issue owing to the situation in West Asia. This is affecting the middle class, restaurants, hostels and… pic.twitter.com/eP9hfYe8AT— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

LoP, Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the House on the LPG supply issue amid West Asia conflictHe says, "I want to draw the govt's attention towards the LPG issue owing to the situation in West Asia. This is affecting the middle class, restaurants, hostels and… pic.twitter.com/eP9hfYe8AT

The Shivalik LPG carrier will reach India soon. What happens then?

The government says it has prepared for it.

From documentation to priority berthing "everything" has been arranged at the port so that there is no delay in the discharge of cargo, the government says.

Another LPG carrier will reach India today after crossing the Strati of Hormuz, the government has said.

"Shivalik LPG carrier, which sailed from the Persian Gulf, crossed the Strait of Hormuz and headed towards India, will be reaching today around 5 pm, maybe after an hour or so," Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the shipping ministry, said.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday expressed concern over the shortage of LPG in the country and accused the government of not taking preemptive measures to check the crisis and black marketing of the cooking gas.

Union Minister and Leader of the House J P Nadda responded, saying the Opposition is "trying to bring anarchy in the country" instead of standing with the government "in a crisis situation".

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the House, said the LPG crisis in the wake of the ongoing conflict in West Asia has caused widespread distress across the country. It is severely impacting the poor and vulnerable, the middle class, ordinary households, restaurants, hostels, and commercial users.

He said when the conflict in West Asia escalated, the government had issued an advisory to Indian citizens, and since that time, the government knew that the energy supply would be affected.

Despite this, no preparations were made, and as a result, many sectors of the country are facing problems.

The crisis has exposed the government's pathetic management and flawed foreign policy, he added.

Kharge further said that LPG cylinders were being sold in the black market for as high as Rs 5,000 per cylinder.

He stressed that the government must immediately take strict measures on the issue and ensure cylinders are available at affordable prices to the public as well as all small traders.

He also said that the Union petroleum minister had claimed in the Lok Sabha that there is no shortage of LPG in the country and advised people to stay away from rumours, but the ground reality is different.

Responding to Kharge's remarks, Union Minister and Leader of the House J P Nadda said that it was regrettable that even during the crisis period, the Opposition, especially the Congress party, was doing politics on the issue.

"They are instigating the peaceful people of the country...in a crisis situation, instead of standing with the country, they are trying to bring anarchy in the country," Nadda said.

On Opposition protest against reports of LPG shortage, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut said, "...The opposition is trying to create panic and I urge the people of the nation to trust the leadership of PM Modi..."

#watch | On Opposition protest against reports of LPG shortage, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut says, "...The opposition is trying to create panic and I urge the people of the nation to trust the leadership of PM Modi..." pic.twitter.com/HtaERJADvQ— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

#watch | On Opposition protest against reports of LPG shortage, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut says, "...The opposition is trying to create panic and I urge the people of the nation to trust the leadership of PM Modi..." pic.twitter.com/HtaERJADvQ

LoP, Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge in the House on the LPG supply issue amid West Asia conflict.

"I want to draw the govt's attention towards the LPG issue owing to the situation in West Asia. This is affecting the middle class, restaurants, hostels and commercial users. During this current situation, the availability of LPG and price stability have become serious issues....Speaking in Lok Sabha, Union Petroleum Minister claimed that there is no shortage of LPG, but the ground reality proves the govt claims wrong," he said.

LoP, Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the House on the LPG supply issue amid West Asia conflictHe says, "I want to draw the govt's attention towards the LPG issue owing to the situation in West Asia. This is affecting the middle class, restaurants, hostels and… pic.twitter.com/eP9hfYe8AT— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

Two days after 76 LPG cylinders were allegedly stolen from a godown in Chowk area of Maharajganj district, the police on Sunday initiated an inquiry in connection with the case, said police.

According to the police officials, the complaint was filed by the godown incharge, Nagendra Yadav, who claimed that unidentified assailants broke the storage facility’s lock and fled with the cylinders.

“We are conducting an inquiry into the complaint. Police teams have visited the godown and inspected the site to verify the allegations made in the complaint and to ascertain how the alleged theft took place,” Station House Officer of Chowk police station Om Prakash Gupta said.

Quoting the complaint, the SHO said 76 LPG cylinders have been reported stolen, of which, 12 were filled with gas, while the remaining were empty.

Commenting about LPG shortage in the country, Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said, "We saw during the demonetization, how the entire public stood in lines, queues, for who knows how many hours. Then we saw how COVID struck, completely shutting down the railway system and all transportation, and people wandered from door to door to reach their homes, and from other states. And now, these are the circumstances, with the government claiming there's no LPG shortage... But if we were aware of the reality, we would see the extent of the shortage, the high prices, the black market, and people having to stand in lines for hours... But this government is a government that turns a blind eye and is unable to understand the people's problems."

#watch | Jalaun, UP: On the LPG issue, Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav says, "We saw during the demonetization, how the entire public stood in lines, queues, for who knows how many hours. Then we saw how COVID struck, completely shutting down the railway system and all… pic.twitter.com/mrjn05XVq4— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

#watch | Jalaun, UP: On the LPG issue, Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav says, "We saw during the demonetization, how the entire public stood in lines, queues, for who knows how many hours. Then we saw how COVID struck, completely shutting down the railway system and all… pic.twitter.com/mrjn05XVq4

Latest visuals from Mundra Port. LPG tanker Shivalik, which crossed the Hormuz Strait, will arrive here today.

#watch | Gujarat: Latest visuals from Mundra Port. LPG tanker Shivalik, which crossed the Hormuz Strait, will arrive here later today. pic.twitter.com/XEWEZpb0Nh— ANI (@ANI) March 16, 2026

#watch | Gujarat: Latest visuals from Mundra Port. LPG tanker Shivalik, which crossed the Hormuz Strait, will arrive here later today. pic.twitter.com/XEWEZpb0Nh

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