LPG Booking App Beats ChatGPT To Top India’s App Store, Play Store Charts

The spike in downloads comes as households rush to secure cooking gas after supply concerns linked to the US-Israel war on Iran and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil and gas shipping routes.

The government has said that India's overall LPG supply remains secure.

Government data shows a sharp rise in bookings. According to Petroleum Ministry Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma, average household LPG bookings were about 55.7 lakh cylinders per day between April and February in the current financial year. On March 12, bookings jumped over 35 per cent to 75.7 lakh cylinders.

The IndianOil One app, developed by Indian Oil Corporation, allows users to book LPG refills, track deliveries, apply for new connections, change distributors and locate nearby fuel stations or gas agencies. App analytics firm Sensor Tower says it logged more than four million downloads in the past 30 days.

India has over 33.4 crore LPG connections, making it the country's primary cooking fuel, while piped natural gas reaches only about 1.5 crore households.

Cooking gas prices were also raised earlier this month. The price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder increased by Rs 60, pushing the price in Delhi to around Rs 913 per cylinder, up from about Rs 853 last month.

Commercial LPG cylinders used by hotels and restaurants also became costlier. The 19 kg commercial cylinder price rose by roughly Rs 115 - Rs 144, depending on the city.

Panic buying has driven LPG cylinders into the black market, where they are being sold for up to Rs 6,500 and refills for Rs 3,500- Rs 4,000.

Reports say some tech companies in Bengaluru and other cities have told employees that food court services may be affected due to limited LPG availability, asking them to bring lunch from home.