Residents of Hyderabad are facing growing hardship as the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) is reportedly failing to follow its announced gas supply timetable in several areas of the city.
Under the stated schedule, gas should be supplied from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. However, people living in densely populated and underprivileged localities say the supply is unreliable even during these fixed hours.
Consumers report that in many cases, gas does not arrive at all, or comes with very low pressure, making it extremely difficult to cook meals. In several areas, residents also complain that pipelines release only air for the first 15 to 20 minutes after supply is restored, with gas flow starting later.
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“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.
Due to the ongoing issues, many households have shifted to alternative cooking methods such as electric stoves, induction plates, ceramic cookers, solar ovens, and LPG cylinders.
However, this shift has increased their financial burden, as they continue to pay SSGC bills while also spending additional money on LPG cylinders, which cost around Rs. 2,500 per month.
Residents have also criticized local representatives for not raising the matter effectively with SSGC despite repeated complaints and protests. They said earlier that assurances that there would be no gas load shedding from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. have not been fulfilled.
“We were told mornings would be free of outages, yet we get nothing but air,” another consumer said.
With no improvement in sight, residents are now demanding that SSGC restore proper gas supply or adjust billing practices so consumers are not charged for air that comes through pipelines before actual gas flow begins.