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With the conflict in West Asia leading to a shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), commercial LPG users, such as restaurants and other food sellers, as well as autorickshaw drivers and even laundry services, have reported disruptions to their operations in various parts of India.
The West Asia conflict triggered by the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran has halted the movement of ships through the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Over 80% of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. In response, the Indian government has invoked emergency powers to direct refiners to maximise LPG production and ensure that all the gas is supplied solely to domestic LPG consumers.
In Bengaluru, some restaurants, particularly in the city’s central business district, have curtailed operations. On Monday, the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotel Owners Association had said it would shut down restaurants across the city if the supply of commercial cylinders stops.
P C Rao, president of the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotel Owners Association, said restaurants were not receiving commercial cylinders and urged the government to intervene to ensure supply. He said that around 25-30 hotels in the city were affected when suppliers stopped supplying gas on Monday morning.
Ramesh Chandra, a restaurant owner in Kengeri, said on Tuesday that commercial cylinders have not been available for a second day in a row. “I have 4-5 cylinders left and will continue the operations till I finish the stock. At the same time, I am also making every effort to secure a cylinder supply. I do not know whether I will open the hotel tomorrow,” Chandra said, adding that he requires between two and four cylinders every day.
By Tuesday afternoon, some restaurants had decided to trim their menus. Bangalore Thindi on Infantry Road, which typically sees heavy footfall for lunch and afternoon meals, posted that it would serve only beverages for the time being.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday wrote a letter to Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri to take action so that the commercial establishments can run their operations. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya also wrote to Puri on the matter.
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Across Tamil Nadu, too, hotels and restaurants said their commercial LPG supplies were running low. Some restaurants have already reduced the number of dishes served to conserve fuel.
“It is like a second Covid-19 lockdown for us,” said the chairman of a popular restaurant chain, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We have reduced the number of food items. If there is no supply of commercial LPG cylinders, we have no other go than to close down operations,” he said.
Several eateries in Chennai have trimmed their menus, dropping items that require high LPG consumption, such as fried rice, side dishes and appam.
Chief Minister M K Stalin held a review meeting and said he wrote to the Prime Minister’s Office, urging the Centre to ensure the situation does not affect “the public, commercial establishments, or MSME industries in Tamil Nadu”.
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In Odisha, the hotel association said services of several establishments were being affected by the shortage. “Hotels and restaurants are highly dependent on the uninterrupted supply of commercial LPG cylinders for their daily kitchen operations. The sudden disruption in supply has severely affected food preparation and service in many establishments. If the situation continues, it may lead to the closure of hotel operations, cancellation of bookings, and severe inconvenience to tourists and visitors,” Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha chairman J K Mohanty said in a letter to Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
The Punjab Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association called an emergency meeting of hospitality industry stakeholders in Ludhiana on Wednesday to assess the situation and discuss possible alternatives.
Dhobis and auto drivers
In Mumbai, the situation has affected not only the city’s hotels and restaurants, but also its laundry services, including the 136-year-old Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat. Across the city, where LPG cylinders fuel the drying machines used by dhobis (traditional washermen), the scarcity has slowed operations and forced many to scramble for cylinders in the black market at inflated rates.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Santosh Kanojia, chairman of the Dhobi Kalyan and Audhyogik Vikas Cooperative Society, said that of the 731 dhobis at Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat, at least 50% rely on drying machines due to customer demand. “The LPG shortage has affected the drying of clothes, and our order delivery is getting delayed by several days,” he said.
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In Kolkata, autodrivers were among the hardest-hit by the commercial LPG shortage. Most autos in the suburbs run on LPG. On Tuesday, autorickshaws queued up in lines that stretched to several kilometres in efforts to refuel.
“I’ve been standing here for three hours today,” said Raja Mondal, whose auto was in a stationary queue at BT Road. “Yesterday, my friend stood for six hours. We’ve never seen a crisis like this before,” he added.
With fewer autos on the road, many commuters were left stranded, with waiting times for rides going up substantially for many.
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