Jaipur, March 14 -- The LPG shortage in Rajasthan has begun to severely affect the state capital as well, with long queues forming at filling stations and institutions struggling to arrange cooking fuel. Residents and auto-rickshaw drivers in Jaipur say the situation has become increasingly worrying as supply remains limited and waiting times stretch for hours. At several LPG filling stations, queues of vehicles have been stretching for kilometres. Pump operators have begun rationing LPG amid the rush, while prices at private pumps have increased sharply over the past week. According to drivers, the rate of LPG has risen from around Rs.62 per kilogram to Rs.75 per kilogram in the last eight days. Babu Bhai, an auto driver, said the situation is worsening by the day. "Queues nearly two kilometres long have formed on both sides of the pump. LPG supply at government pumps has stopped and private pumps are charging higher rates," he said, adding that he had waited in line for four hours but the pump ran out of LPG before his turn came. Another driver said many people are afraid even to step out of the queue for water because they fear someone else might take their place. "There have already been arguments and even scuffles among people trying to break the line," he said. Drivers complained that if five to six hours of the day are spent waiting for LPG, there is little time left to earn a livelihood. Meanwhile, the shortage has also begun to affect student hostels and small food messes in the city. Mess operators said commercial LPG cylinders are available but at extremely high prices. "Some sellers are asking around Rs.5,000 or more for a cylinder. If we spend that much on gas, how will we feed the students?" one operator said. They added that rising fuel costs are already forcing them to cut down on meals. He added that their mess feeds about 40 students and they had recently purchased nearly two quintals of firewood for cooking. "Cylinders are being sold in the black market at such high prices that wood has become the cheaper option," he said. At a wood and coal depot visited by reporters, several students and mess operators were seen buying it as an alternative. The depot owner said the demand has increased significantly in recent days, though it remains uncertain how long supplies will last. Rajasthan's food and civil supplies minister Sumit Godara said there is adequate stock of domestic cooking gas in the state and consumers need not worry about LPG supply.He said vigilance teams have been deployed in all districts to check hoarding or diversion of domestic gas cylinders to other sources. The minister also said commercial LPG is currently being supplied only to educational and medical institutions....