Telecom tower manufacturers have raised concerns over the stoppage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply, warning that it could disrupt the continuity of mobile and internet services across the country. According to the Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA), oil companies have halted LPG supplies to telecom tower manufacturers following a government directive prioritising LPG availability exclusively for domestic consumers.
The industry body said the telecom infrastructure sector fears that the emerging fuel crisis, linked to the current geopolitical situation, may affect the continuity of telecom services nationwide and has sought government intervention to prioritise power and fuel supply for the sector.
The association noted that the suspension of LPG supplies has created serious operational challenges for telecom tower manufacturing units, as galvanisation processes used in tower production largely rely on LPG or liquefied natural gas (LNG)-based fuel.
It warned that a prolonged halt in LPG or LNG supplies could disrupt the telecom tower manufacturing supply chain and delay ongoing as well as planned tower deployment projects. The industry body also highlighted concerns over the dependence of telecom towers on diesel generator sets during grid outages.
It added that uninterrupted telecom connectivity is critical for voice and data services, 5G networks, national security operations, emergency and disaster response systems, digital governance platforms, financial transactions, healthcare services and other mission-critical applications.
DIPA has urged the Department of Telecommunications to take up the matter with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to ensure that LPG and LNG supplies to telecom tower manufacturing units are exempted from the March 5, 2026 order and restored at the earliest.
