LPG refill booking interval reduced to 25 days for all domestic consumers

The Centre on September 7 announced that the booking interval for domestic LPG refills will now be 25 days for consumers in both urban and rural areas, relaxing the earlier restriction imposed amid pressure on LPG supplies.

Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi said the booking interval had earlier been fixed at 25 days for urban consumers and 45 days for rural consumers due to supply pressures arising from the ongoing US-Iran conflict and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

“However, in view of the current LPG supply situation improving and the significant reduction in refill backlog, the central government has relaxed this restriction,” Gopi said in a Facebook post. He added that all domestic LPG consumers, irrespective of whether they live in urban or rural areas, can now book a refill after an interval of 25 days.

The Minister also shared a copy of a letter issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), directing them to implement the revised booking interval with immediate effect.

The development comes after the government had imposed restrictions on LPG supplies following disruptions to global energy supplies linked to the US-Israel war on Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The government had also taken measures to prioritise LPG availability amid concerns over shortages. In June, restrictions on commercial LPG supplies were withdrawn, with OMCs directed to restore non-domestic packed LPG supplies to normal levels.

The supply disruptions had also contributed to higher LPG prices in India, with the price of a 14.2-kg domestic cylinder in Delhi reportedly reaching Rs 942 after price increases in March and June.

With the refill backlog now significantly reduced and supply conditions improving, the Centre has eased the booking restriction, bringing urban and rural LPG consumers under the same 25-day refill booking interval.