The decision follows a high-level directive from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued on March 5, 2026. Due to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, global energy supply chains—specifically those passing through the Middle East,have faced significant disruptions.

To safeguard the interest of households, the Union Government has ordered that available stocks of propane and butane (key components of LPG) be diverted exclusively for domestic cooking gas production. Consequently, non-domestic sectors, including Pune’s civic crematoriums, are facing a temporary supply halt.

The PMC has confirmed that the closures began on March 5 and will continue until further notice.

At the prominent Vaikunth Crematorium, three gas-fired furnaces have been taken offline. However, to ensure that grieving families are not inconvenienced, the civic body has kept alternative facilities running at full capacity:

Five electric furnaces at Vaikunth remain fully operational.

Traditional wood-fired crematoriums equipped with advanced Air Pollution Control (APC) systems will continue to function across the city.

The PMC currently operates 20 gas-based furnaces across various cremation grounds, all of which will remain suspended until the energy supply stabilises.