LPG supply crisis: Migrant workers in Delhi return to native places

New Delhi: An LPG supply crisis caused by the conflict in West Asia has severely affected migrant workers in the national capital, prompting large numbers of them to return to their native places.

Delays in LPG cylinder deliveries and skyrocketing prices in the black market have forced these poor workers to leave the city.

Many say they may return to Delhi once the situation normalises, while others remain skeptical about coming back.

New Delhi, Anand Vihar, and Nizamuddin are the three major railway stations that receive the maximum number of migrant workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh.

For the past two weeks, hundreds of number of migrant workers have been rushing to these stations to catch trains to their natives.

These stations are also witnessing the highest footfall of returning migrants.

"I am a painter. Though I earn Rs 400 daily, the non-availability of LPG is a big problem. We depend on 5 kg cylinders for cooking, but they are hardly available now,” says Paltu Ram from Bhagalpur in Bihar.

Ram, who works in Munirka, was heading to New Delhi railway station to catch a train.

He said he wants to return to Delhi once the situation normalises.

Most migrant workers rely on 5 kg LPG cylinders, which are available with LPG retail distributors without requiring a formal LPG connection.

Besides the short supply of these 5 kg cylinders, black marketing has become a major blow to migrant workers.

The same is the case with Pinki Yadav, a housemaid working in Vasant Vihar. “We four family members live in a slum cluster. We depend on LPG for cooking. However, the short supply is forcing us to go back to our village in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh."

Many migrants also say that electric cookers or induction cookers are costly, and they are not used to cooking with them. They feel more comfortable with LPG for cooking.

As restaurants have reduced operations due to irregular gas supply, a large number of workers employed in restaurants and eateries are also facing uncertainty and heading back to their villages.

Chotu Ram, a native of Araria in Bihar, who works at a roadside eatery in Malaviya Nagar, said his owner shut down the shop temporarily and asked the workers to go home and return once the situation normalises.

“So I am going to Anand Vihar to catch a train,” he said, adding that he can find jobs in the agricultural fields back home.

The shutting down of roadside eateries, which provide cheap food to migrant workers, has also a major problem to them.

With eateries closed or raising prices, migrants now have to spend more on food.

However, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Monday stated that domestic LPG cylinder deliveries remain normal, with over 18 crore cylinders delivered to households since 1 March 2026.

The ministry also said it has organised awareness camps for 5 kg cylinders across the country, where over 6,700 cylinders have been sold.