Gas crisis deepens as supply disappears even during scheduled hours

With summer at its peak, Sui Southern Gas Company has failed to provide gas even during its announced 9-hour daily schedule in Hyderabad.

The shortage has sparked fresh frustration among residents, particularly women, who are struggling to manage household chores amid severe summer heat.

As per SSGC's current schedule, gas is supposed to be supplied for three hours each in the morning from 6am to 9am, in the afternoon from 12pm to 3pm, and at night from 6pm to 9pm. However, residents from densely populated and underdeveloped colonies across the city say the utility is failing to honour even this limited timetable.

In several areas where gas does appear, consumers complain of extremely low pressure that makes cooking nearly impossible. The most common grievance is that when supply resumes at the scheduled time, pipelines carry only air for 15-20 minutes before gas begins to flow. Women, who bear the brunt of the crisis, said they repeatedly light stoves to check if gas has arrived, leaving burners open so the air can escape. This practice keeps meters running and has led to a sharp increase in monthly bills.

"We are paying for air in our gas bills while spending hours in the kitchen to cook a single meal," said a resident of Latifabad.

The timing of the crisis has compounded the problem. 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 requires 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 spike in demand for alternatives.

Market sources report higher sales of electric stoves, induction cooktops, ceramic cookers, solar ovens and domestic LPG cylinders of 2-12kg capacity. Fiberglass LPG cylinders are also gaining popularity due to being lighter and rust-proof. However, the shift has added financial strain. Consumers must now bear inflated SSGC charges, plus spend thousands of rupees on cylinders, followed by at least Rs2,500 monthly for LPG refills. Political silence

Despite widespread protests, local elected representatives from Hyderabad have not taken up the issue with SSGC. Political leaders had earlier claimed there would be "no load-shedding from 6-9am", but residents said those statements proved false. "We were told mornings would be free of outages, yet we get nothing but air," another consumer said.

With summer at its peak and no relief in sight, Hyderabadis are demanding that SSGC either restore full supply or revise its billing to exclude air discharge periods.