Consumers complain that pipelines only carry air for 15 to 20 minutes before gas starts flowing.
HYDERABAD:
As summer reaches its peak, the Sui Southern Gas Company has failed to supply gas even during its advertised 9 a.m. daily schedule in Hyderabad.
The shortage has sparked new frustration among residents, especially women, who struggle to manage household chores in an extremely hot summer.
According to the current schedule of SSGC, gas is supposed to be supplied for three hours each, in the morning from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., in the afternoon from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and at night from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. However, residents of the city’s densely populated and underdeveloped settlements say the utility is failing to meet even this limited schedule.
In many areas where gas appears, consumers complain of extremely low pressure that makes cooking almost impossible. The most common complaint is that when supply resumes at the scheduled time, pipelines carry only air for 15 to 20 minutes before gas begins to flow. The women, who are bearing the brunt of the crisis, said they repeatedly lit the stoves to check if the gas was coming, leaving the burners open so the air could escape. This practice keeps the meters running and has led to a sharp increase in monthly bills.
“We pay for the air on our gas bills while spending hours in the kitchen to prepare a single meal,” said a Latifabad resident.
The timing of the crisis made the problem worse. With Hyderabad currently in the grip of intense summer heat, cooking times have increased due to low pressure.
Women said preparing even basic meals like tea or curry now takes much longer, forcing them to stay longer in hot kitchens. Hosting guests has also become difficult as families cannot serve meals on time. The prolonged shortage has triggered a sudden surge in demand for alternatives.
Market sources report an increase in sales of electric cookers, induction cooktops, ceramic cookers, solar ovens and domestic LPG cylinders with a capacity of 2-12 kg. Fiberglass LPG cylinders are also gaining popularity because they are lighter and rust-proof. However, this change added financial difficulties. Consumers now have to bear inflated SSGC charges, and spend thousands of rupees on cylinders, followed by at least Rs 2,500 per month for LPG refills. Political silence
Despite numerous protests, local elected officials in Hyderabad did not raise the subject with the SSGC. Political leaders had previously claimed there would be “no load shedding between 6am and 9am”, but residents said those claims had proven to be false. “We were told that mornings would be free of outages, but we only have air,” said another consumer.
With summer in full swing and no relief in sight, Hyderabadis are demanding that SSGC either restore its full supply or revise its billing to exclude periods of air release.
