LPG Crisis Looms in Kathmandu as Gas Bullets Stay Away for 5 Days

The supply of LPG gas in Kathmandu Valley has yet to return to normal six days after the devastating flood in Rasuwa. Only one gas bullet arrived in Kathmandu after the flood, while no new gas bullets have reached the Valley for the past five days following the road blockage at Krishnabhir in Dhading. According to Nepal Oil Corporation, petrol and diesel are still being transported through alternative routes, but LPG bullets cannot currently use those routes due to technical and road-capacity constraints. Around 18 gas industries supplying Kathmandu are located in and around Kathmandu and Dhading. Although LPG bullets carrying gas from India have reached Nepal, they have been unable to transport the gas to Kathmandu. Kathmandu normally requires around 35,000–37,000 LPG cylinders every day, meaning five days without fresh supply could represent demand equivalent to roughly 175,000 cylinders. To address the situation, authorities are considering transporting empty cylinders from Kathmandu to the Terai, filling them there and bringing them back to the capital. However, the alternative arrangement could increase transportation costs and potentially push up the price of LPG. The situation has also raised concerns about Kathmandu’s dependence on a single major supply route and the lack of sufficient emergency stock. Experts and officials have highlighted the need for strategic buffer stocks, alternative transportation routes and emergency supply plans to protect the capital from future disruptions.