Dashain Relief: Consumers Can Exchange Empty LPG Cylinders for Full Ones of Any
Nepal Oil Corporation and the Nepal LP Gas Industry Association have agreed to allow consumers to exchange empty LPG cylinders of any brand for full cylinders of another brand without additional charges from Ghatasthapana to Phulpati. Five exchange outlets have been provisionally identified across Kathmandu Valley to ensure smooth gas supplies during Dashain.
Consumers in Kathmandu Valley will be able to exchange empty LPG cylinders of any brand for full cylinders of another brand without paying additional charges during the Dashain festival period. The arrangement follows an agreement between Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and the Nepal LP Gas Industry Association to ensure convenient and uninterrupted LPG supplies during the festive season. Under the arrangement, which will remain in effect from Ghatasthapana to Phulpati, consumers can take their empty cylinders to designated exchange outlets and receive full cylinders of another available brand. The facility will cover all LPG cylinder brands marketed in Kathmandu Valley, with no extra fee charged for exchanging cylinders. According to Diwan Chand, president of the Nepal LP Gas Industry Association, five shared sales outlets have been provisionally identified across Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur. The designated locations are the Nepal Gas outlet in Balaju, exchange centers operated by Everest and Sugam in Sitapaila, Baba Gas's sales center in Sukedhara, Sagar Gas's outlet in Pepsi Cola, and the Shriram Gas center in Harisiddhi, Lalitpur, which is a proposed location. Additional outlets may be added depending on consumer demand. The decision was reached after discussions at Nepal Oil Corporation, where officials had urged gas industry operators to develop a practical solution to prevent households from facing shortages during Dashain. Distribution difficulties had emerged in Kathmandu Valley following persistent rainfall, floods, landslides, and public holidays, prompting industry operators to establish a shared exchange mechanism. The association said the collected empty cylinders will later be exchanged among the respective gas companies, allowing consumers to obtain available full cylinders without the hassle of coordinating directly with individual brands. The initiative is expected to ease supply pressure and make LPG more accessible to households during the festive period.