LPG booking rules may change from May 2026 amid global supply issues. Oil companies are considering a longer booking gap, OTP-based delivery, and stricter authentication, though no official announcement yet.
New Delhi: Get ready, because the rules for booking your LPG cylinder might see some big changes starting this May. The ongoing war in West Asia, which began in February, has thrown the global energy sector into a bit of a crisis. We’re seeing supply shortages, delivery delays, and, of course, price hikes. This is the backdrop for the new booking rules being considered.
According to various reports, oil companies like Indian Oil, BPCL, and HPCL are discussing new regulations for LPG cylinder distribution. However, it’s important to note that there has been no official announcement on this yet. After the US-Israel-Iran conflict flared up, Indian oil companies increased the price of 14.2 kg LPG cylinders by ₹60 across the country. The price for 19 kg commercial cylinders was hiked three times in just one month. Reports state that in April 2026, the price of a 19 kg LPG cylinder in metro cities was increased by ₹196 to ₹218. This was apparently after OMCs had already raised the price by ₹114.5 on March 7. On March 1, 2026, the price was reportedly increased by ₹28 to ₹31.
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LPG Rules Big Changes
So, what could change? The companies might change the ‘lock-in period’ for booking cylinders, which is currently a 25-day gap between bookings. An OTP-based delivery system could also be rolled out everywhere. The government has assured everyone that despite the tough global situation, it is ensuring a 100% supply of domestic LPG, piped natural gas (PNG), and CNG for transport.
Online bookings for LPG have shot up to 98%, while deliveries confirmed with a Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) are at about 94%. For commercial LPG, priority is being given to essential services like hospitals and educational institutions, as well as industries like pharma, steel, automobile, and agriculture. The supply of 5 kg FTL (Free Trade LPG) cylinders for migrant workers is also being doubled.
Other changes being considered include increasing the booking gap from 21 to 25 days in cities and up to 45 days in villages, and setting up priority sectors for delivery. Additionally, the government has made Aadhaar-based authentication mandatory for beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The ministry clarified that anyone who hasn’t completed their eKYC will need to do so. For PMUY customers, this needs to be done only once every financial year.
Amidst all this, the government is heavily promoting a switch from LPG to PNG. Commercial LPG users in major cities are being encouraged to get PNG connections. The government has already barred PNG customers from surrendering their connections to get a new LPG cylinder. A new order from late March even stated that if a household has a PNG connection available but doesn’t switch, their LPG supply could be cut off after three months.
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