KATHMANDU: Gas industries based in Chitwan and surrounding districts have ramped up production to meet the rising demand for LPG cylinders in the capital.
Plants located in Chitwan, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East), Makwanpur, Bara, Parsa and Dhanusha are currently operating for 14 hours a day to facilitate bottling operations.
Bimal Kalakheti, a member of the Nepal LP Gas Industry Association, stated that plants including Baba, Saibaba, Nepal Gas Gandaki, Janaki, and Narayani are filling approximately 15,000 cylinders daily across two shifts. Utilizing 24 bottling machines, these facilities are processing 24 cylinders per minute.
Additionally, other regional industries such as Nobel, Wan (NL), Jagadamba, Leo, Amber, Supper, Manoj, Sahara, and Chandeshwori are filling around 10,000 cylinders daily. According to industry reports, half of the total production is distributed to local markets, while the remainder is transported to Kathmandu.
Kalakheti noted that industry operators are working intensively on logistics, including managing gas bullets and truck transport.
While the daily demand in the Kathmandu Valley typically stands at 40,000 cylinders, current demand has surged to approximately 100,000 units. On Wednesday, 53,469 cylinders were dispatched to the capital, though this figure fluctuates daily.
Cylinders filled in Chitwan are transported to Kathmandu via Hetauda. However, the supply chain faces significant challenges due to narrow road sections, heavy traffic congestion and frequent landslides that disrupt transportation routes.
