Lucknow, March 11 -- The demand for traditional coal-based furnaces (angithis) and induction stoves surged across the city amid panic over the shortage of commercial and rumours of the delayed delivery of domestic LPG cylinders. While consumers faced difficulties booking domestic LPG cylinders through the IVR phone system, authorities urged them to use alternative booking methods, including SMS, missed calls, and the supplier's application (app), to avoid delays in cylinder refills. Increased bookings in major cities such as Lucknow, Prayagraj, Agra and Ghaziabad have led to longer delivery times and difficulties for consumers. Pawan Manocha, a prominent trader from Naka and senior general secretary of the Lucknow Vyapar Mandal, said, "Small-scale vendors are now flocking to buy domestic induction stoves, while large restaurant owners are opting for heavy-duty commercial variants. The demand for domestic induction stoves has surged by 50%, while commercial induction demand recorded a 35% increase." He pointed out a shop that typically saw demand for 10 commercial units in a month is now receiving the same number of inquiries in a single day. He warned if this trend persists, manufacturers are likely to hike prices soon. Gurpreet Singh Sethi of a prominent electronics store in Gole Market revealed that while they previously sold about three domestic induction stoves a week, they are now selling five units in a single day for the last few days. "In response to this sudden "panic buying," retailers have begun ordering additional buffer stocks to prevent a complete burnout of inventory," said Sethi. Sapal Prajapati, a furnace maker in Mavaiya, said, "We previously sold a maximum of 10 furnaces a day but demand soared to 200 units yesterday and reached 250 units today." The basic coal-based furnace, formerly priced at Rs 800, is now sold for Rs 900, while the Rs 1300 coal-based furnace has risen to Rs 1500. The premium coal-based furnace, previously available for Rs 2000, now costs Rs 2500. Meanwhile, officials from Indian Oil Corporation said SMS booking allows users to send a text message to the designated LPG booking number. Another option is missed-call booking. Customers can also use their supplier's mobile app to place orders....