Consumers complain that the pipes carry only air for 15 to 20 minutes before the gas begins to flow.
HYDERABAD:
With summer in full swing, Sui Southern Gas Company has not been able to supply gas even during its advertised 9-hour daily schedule in Hyderabad.
The shortage has sparked new frustration among residents, especially women, who struggle to perform household chores amid the intense summer heat.
As per the current SSGC schedule, gas supply will be carried out for three hours each: morning from 6am to 9am, afternoon from 12pm to 3pm, and evening from 6am to 9am. However, residents of densely populated and underdeveloped neighborhoods across the city say the utility is failing to meet even this limited schedule.
In several areas where gas appears, consumers complain of extremely low pressure that makes cooking almost impossible. The most common complaint is that when the supply resumes at the scheduled time, the pipes carry only air for 15 to 20 minutes before gas begins to flow. Women, who are the most affected by the crisis, said they repeatedly turn on the stoves to check if the gas has arrived, leaving the burners open so air can escape. This practice keeps the meters running and has led to a sharp increase in monthly bills.
“We pay for air in our gas bills while spending hours in the kitchen preparing a single meal,” said a Latifabad resident.
The timing of the crisis has aggravated the problem. With Hyderabad currently under intense summer heat, cooking times have increased due to low pressure.
The women said that preparing even basic meals like tea or curries now takes much more time, forcing them to stay longer in hot kitchens. Entertaining has also become difficult because families cannot serve meals on time. The prolonged shortage has caused a sudden increase in demand for alternatives.
Market sources report higher sales of electric stoves, induction hobs, ceramic hobs, solar ovens and domestic LPG cylinders of 2 to 12 kg capacity. Fiberglass LPG cylinders are also gaining popularity because they are lighter and more resistant to rust. However, the change has added financial strain. Consumers now have to bear inflated charges from SSGC, besides spending thousands of rupees on cylinders, followed by at least Rs 2,500 monthly for LPG refills. Political silence
Despite widespread protests, local elected representatives in Hyderabad have not taken up the issue before the SSGC. Political leaders had previously claimed that “there would be no load shedding between 6am and 9am”, but residents said those claims turned out to be false. “They told us that in the morning there would be no outages, but we have nothing but air,” said another consumer.
With summer in full swing and no relief in sight, Hyderabadis are demanding that SSGC restore full supply or revise its billing to exclude on-air discharge periods.
