Pokhara, 6 September | Kathmandu Valley is facing a serious shortage of liquefied petroleum gas, commonly used for cooking, leaving thousands of consumers struggling to obtain cylinders for their daily household needs. In recent days, long queues of people carrying empty gas cylinders have become a common sight at street corners, dealerships and distribution centres across the Valley. Many consumers have reportedly spent several days waiting in line, only to return home without receiving a single cylinder.
The crisis intensified after floods in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river areas and a landslide at Krishnabhir along the Prithvi Highway disrupted major transportation routes. The road obstruction severely affected the regular supply of cooking gas to Kathmandu Valley, creating growing pressure on consumers and distributors.
Authorities have attempted to bring gas into Kathmandu through alternative routes from different districts in the Terai region. However, the movement of large gas bullets and trucks has been difficult on alternative roads, forcing suppliers to transport cylinders using smaller vehicles. Under normal conditions, Kathmandu Valley consumes around 40,000 gas cylinders each day, but increased demand in recent months has reportedly pushed daily requirements above 100,000 cylinders. Nepal Oil Corporation said that 87,877 cylinders were transported into Kathmandu through alternative routes between Bhadra 18 and 20.
Despite the official supply figures, consumers continue to question why gas remains largely unavailable in the market. People in several parts of Kathmandu have been waiting for days outside dealerships. While Nepal Oil Corporation has claimed that around 30,000 cylinders are being released into the market daily, industry representatives and dealers have said the actual supply remains far below demand.
The crisis has also been accompanied by an increase in transportation costs and gas prices. Citing higher expenses associated with alternative routes, authorities approved an additional transportation charge of Rs 105.38 per cylinder, raising the official price to Rs 2,165. The price increase has triggered public criticism, particularly because it came during a period of widespread shortage and consumer hardship. A comparison made by Nepal Oil Corporation Executive Director Nagendra Sah between the price of cooking gas and meat has further fuelled controversy, with consumers and stakeholders describing the argument as insensitive.
Complaints of black-market trading have also emerged as desperate consumers attempt to secure cylinders through unofficial channels. Some people have reported paying more than Rs 3,000 for a single cylinder. Social media has been filled with criticism and satire, reflecting public frustration over a situation in which access to cooking gas has become increasingly difficult despite official assurances regarding supply.
Nepal Oil Corporation has described the situation as a period of crisis management and said gas distribution is currently being handled through the dealer networks of individual industries. Officials have acknowledged that the corporation has limited manpower and requires support from local administrations and police for crowd management and market monitoring.
Major gas industries have also admitted that they are unable to meet market demand. Some companies are supplying only a fraction of the cylinders required each day, while dealers have been forced to travel to distant locations to collect supplies themselves. The additional transportation burden has significantly increased their operational costs and added further pressure to the distribution system.
Consumer rights advocates have described the current distribution system as highly chaotic, saying that students, workers, elderly people and vulnerable families are being forced to spend long hours, and in some cases entire nights, waiting for gas. They have called for urgent coordination among government agencies, gas industries, dealers and local authorities, while stressing that restoring blocked roads and strengthening supply management are essential to ending the crisis. The disaster-driven shortage has exposed serious weaknesses in Nepal’s supply system and coordination mechanisms, turning an essential household commodity into one of Kathmandu Valley’s most pressing daily concerns.
