Cooking Gas Cylinder Not Delivered: 48-Hour Fix 2026

Last reviewed: 1 September 2026.

You booked an Indane, HP Gas or Bharat Gas cylinder on Friday or Saturday, the dealer ignored your calls, and someone in the lane is selling the same cylinder for ₹200 to ₹400 over the subsidised price. Stop chasing. The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order 2000, your OMC's Citizen's Charter and the Consumer Protection Act 2019 give you a clean 48-hour escalation path that almost always forces delivery before Monday closes. Here is exactly how to use it.

This page covers one specific failure: a domestic LPG refill booked through Indian Oil (Indane), Hindustan Petroleum (HP Gas) or Bharat Petroleum (Bharat Gas), confirmed by SMS but not delivered within the two-working-day window your OMC's Citizen's Charter commits to, while the same dealer or a nearby agent quietly sells the cylinder at a premium.

Domestic LPG distribution in India is regulated under the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order 2000, issued under the Essential Commodities Act 1955, and by each OMC's Citizen's Charter and dealership agreement. HPCL's charter, for example, records an “endeavour to deliver within two working days” for a booked refill except in circumstances beyond control. Charging any premium beyond the notified retail selling price — including “delivery”, “trolley” or “tip” charges — is a breach of the Order and the dealership agreement.

Layered on top, the Consumer Protection Act 2019, Section 2(11) (deficiency in service) covers non-delivery, and Section 2(47) (unfair trade practice) covers overcharging. The Supreme Court in Indian Oil Corporation v. Consumer Protection Council, Kerala (1993) 1 SCC 397 confirmed that LPG dealers act as agents of the OMC and the OMC is jointly liable. The Essential Commodities Act 1955, Section 3, lets the District Magistrate act against hoarding and black-market sale; this is the lever you pull when the dealer is selling at a premium.

1. Open your OMC app (Indane, HP Gas, Bharat Gas) or your account on mylpg.in and pull the booking SMS plus the delivery-due timestamp.
2. Call the dealer once on a recorded line; if no answer in 5 minutes, log a written complaint on the app under “Refill not delivered”.
3. Note the docket or grievance ID; screenshot it.
4. Send a single WhatsApp to the dealer summarising the missed slot and demanding delivery within 24 hours.
5. Forward all four items (SMS, docket, screenshot, WhatsApp) to your own email so you have a timestamped backup.

1. Step 1, Hour 0 to 6: Dealer. App complaint plus written WhatsApp. Ask for a written response within 24 hours.
2. Step 2, Hour 6 to 24: Distributor Area Office. Each OMC publishes Area Office numbers on its corporate site. Email and call. Quote your docket number and the missed delivery slot.
3. Step 3, Hour 24 to 36: State LPG Nodal Officer. Every state has a nodal officer per OMC, listed on the “Customer Care” page. They can override the dealer.
4. Step 4, Hour 36 to 48: MoPNG IGRS portal. File at pgportal.gov.in (CPGRAMS, select Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) and copy the grievance ID. Attach docket, SMS, dealer non-response.
5. Step 5, Hour 48 onwards: Consumer Commission. File at e-jagriti.gov.in under the Consumer Protection Act 2019; the OMC is answerable for its dealer's deficiency.

Documents and evidence to preserve first: booking SMS with timestamp and 17-digit consumer ID; app screenshot showing “Booked” or “Out for delivery”; call logs to dealer with duration; any WhatsApp or printed receipt; a photograph of the dealer's notice board listing the printed retail price; receipt or photograph of any premium amount you were forced to pay; Aadhaar plus the LPG passbook for identity confirmation in formal complaints.

If you paid more than the gazette-notified retail selling price, the difference is recoverable in full. The dealer must refund the overcharge, and the OMC can suspend the dealership for repeated violations. Under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 the District Consumer Commission can also award compensation for mental agony (typically ₹1,000 to ₹10,000 for a single missed weekend delivery), litigation costs of ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 and punitive damages for proven black-marketing under Section 39(1)(d).

NCDRC decisions on missed LPG deliveries have upheld refund of the premium plus modest compensation against the OMC where its dealer failed to deliver in time.

Use this exact template; the OMCs Indane, HP and Bharat are public authorities under RTI Act 2005, Section 2(h).

To,
The Public Information Officer
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi 110001

Subject: Information sought under the Right to Information Act 2005

Sir or Madam,

Under Section 6(1) of the RTI Act 2005, kindly furnish the
following information regarding LPG dealership M/s [Dealer Name],
Distributor Code [XXXX], located at [Full Address]:

1. Total domestic refill bookings received by this dealership in
   the calendar month of [Month, Year], with date-wise count.
2. Number of bookings delivered within two working days in
   the same period.
3. Number of consumer complaints registered against this dealership
   in the last 12 months on grounds of (a) non-delivery,
   (b) overcharging, (c) short weight.
4. Action taken on each such complaint, with file numbers.
5. Copy of the latest inspection report of this dealership
   under the OMC's dealership inspection norms.
6. Whether any show-cause notice has been issued to this dealership
   in the past 24 months; if yes, certified copies.

I am willing to pay the prescribed fee under Section 7(1).
I am a citizen of India, identity proof attached.
If any part falls under another public authority, kindly transfer
under Section 6(3) within 5 days.
First-appeal details under Section 19(1) may be provided with the
reply.

Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]
[Address]
[Email and Phone]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

You can auto-generate a polished version with the AI RTI Drafter.

LEGAL NOTICE
(Under the Consumer Protection Act 2019, Sections 2(11) and 2(47))

To,
1. M/s [Dealer Name], Distributor Code [XXXX], [Full Address]
2. The Executive Director (LPG), [Indian Oil / HPCL / BPCL],
   [Registered Office]

Sir or Madam,

Under instructions from and on behalf of my client [Your Name],
17-digit Consumer ID [XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX], I serve this notice:

1. My client booked a domestic LPG refill on [Date, Time] vide
   booking ID [XXXX], confirmed by SMS.
2. The cylinder was not delivered within the delivery window
   committed to in your OMC's Citizen's Charter.
3. On [Date] my client was informed that the cylinder would only
   be released on payment of ₹[Amount] over the gazette-notified
   retail selling price, in clear violation of the Liquefied
   Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order 2000
   and Section 2(11) of the Consumer Protection Act 2019.
4. The conduct also amounts to hoarding and black-marketing under
   Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act 1955.

You are hereby called upon, jointly and severally, within 15 days
of receipt of this notice, to:
   (a) deliver the booked cylinder at the notified retail price;
   (b) refund the premium of ₹[Amount] already collected;
   (c) pay compensation of ₹[Amount, e.g. 25,000] for deficiency
       in service, mental agony and loss of working hours;
   (d) confirm action initiated against the dealer under the
       dealership agreement.

Failing compliance, my client shall be constrained to file a
complaint before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal
Commission and a separate criminal complaint under the Essential
Commodities Act 1955, entirely at your risk and cost.

Sd/-
[Advocate Name and Enrolment Number]
[Address, Email, Phone]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

1. Calling 1906 for delivery issues. That line is meant for gas-leak emergencies; your delivery complaint is better logged on the OMC app, which generates a written docket.
2. Paying the premium “to get the cylinder now” and arguing later without a written receipt; without proof of payment you cannot recover under CPA 2019, Section 35.
3. Cancelling the booking when the dealer suggests it; a cancelled docket erases the timestamp evidence.
4. Filing only on Twitter or X. OMC social handles do not generate a regulated docket; courts will ask for the IGRS or app grievance ID.
5. Skipping the State Nodal Officer and going straight to consumer court; the paper trail from the nodal-officer complaint is what makes your consumer case easy to prove.

• Indane (Indian Oil): 1800 2333 555 toll-free; complaints via the Indane app or portal; state nodal list at iocl.com.
• HP Gas (HPCL): unified LPG helpline 1906; complaint portal myhpgas.in; state nodal list at hindustanpetroleum.com.
• Bharat Gas (BPCL): 1800 22 4344 toll-free; portal ebharatgas.com; state nodal list at bharatpetroleum.in.
• MoPNG: public grievances via pgportal.gov.in (CPGRAMS) or the grievance links at mopng.gov.in.
• CPGRAMS (central grievance): pgportal.gov.in.
• PNGRB (regulator): pngrb.gov.in.
• e-Jagriti (consumer commissions): e-jagriti.gov.in.

Yes, for all domestic refills inside the dealer's notified service area. The notified retail selling price is inclusive of home delivery, and any “delivery”, “trolley” or “tip” charge on top of it is an overcharge. Any extra collection is refundable on complaint.

There is no single statutory 48-hour rule. OMC Citizens' Charters record an endeavour to deliver a booked refill within two working days except for causes beyond control; HPCL's charter spells this out. A booking made on Friday should therefore normally reach you by the following Tuesday.

Yes. Under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act 1955 read with the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order 2000, hoarding and black-market sale of subsidised LPG attract criminal action. File at the local police station and copy the District Supply Officer.

No. The subsidy is linked to your 17-digit Consumer ID and Aadhaar-seeded bank account, not to dealer goodwill. OMCs are barred from suspending DBT for any consumer who files a bona fide grievance.

Yes. The “Portability” feature lets you transfer your connection to any nearby distributor of the same OMC online via the OMC app or mylpg.in without surrendering your deposit, after one verified missed-delivery cycle.

In practice you can expect refund of any premium plus ₹1,500 to ₹10,000 in compensation for a single missed weekend delivery, plus ₹2,000 to ₹5,000 in litigation costs. Higher amounts are awarded where black-market sale is documented.

Authoritative sources: Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act 2006 at pngrb.gov.in; Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas at mopng.gov.in; Consumer Protection Act 2019 at consumeraffairs.nic.in; Essential Commodities Act 1955 at legislative.gov.in; RTI Act 2005 at cic.gov.in.

Related guides on RTI Wiki:

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• Weekend Problem Solver, India
• AI RTI Drafter (auto-generates the RTI above)
• Electricity Complaint via RTI
• File a Consumer Complaint in NCDRC
• How to File a Consumer Court Case in India
• Ration Card Verification via RTI
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• The RTI Playbook

• LPG Overcharge: Get the Extra Money Refunded