Distributors have reported that commercial cylinders are unavailable since Friday, leading to significant price hikes and limited supply. File
| Photo Credit: K.V. Srinivasan
With commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders remaining unfilled at bottling plants around Chennai belonging to Maharatna oil marketing companies (OMCs), many hotels, restaurants, clubs, small eateries, and tea shops have resorted to stringency measures.Distributors of all the three companies – Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum – confirmed that bottling of commercial cylinders had been stopped at the plants.“Our vehicles have been going to the plants since Friday. The plants did not function on Sunday (March 8, 2026). On Monday morning, we were informed that bottling was not being done for commercial cylinders that come in sizes such as 5, 19, 35, 47.50, and 450 kilograms. Industries that depend on gas are also affected due to the shortage caused by this war. In fact, we have been instructed to supply only 80% of the domestic cylinder bookings,” said a distributor. “Commercial gas cylinders are being sold at more than double the price. Gas delivery boys are being roped in to locate cylinders and they too are pocketing a commission on the same,” said another distributor.
