Main dishes at the Delhi High Court lawyers’ canteen were taken off the menu for a period of time on Wednesday; Ruti became the first victim in Hyderabad hostel and PGs; Employees at Infosys branches in Pune, Chennai and Bengaluru have been told that they may have to give up dosa cravings, as the LPG scarcity caused by the war in West Asia threatened to turn into a full-blown crisis across the country.
Many restaurants in Pune closed their doors as the commercial LPG shortage continued for the second day. The Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL) has offered to help restaurants switch to piped gas connections to ease the crisis, industry representatives said. The popular Modern Cafe in Shivajinagar remained closed on Wednesday after running out of LPG, and its branch in Kharadi is also expected to remain closed on Thursday due to shortage of supplies.
As commercial LPG supplies virtually dried up, more restaurants closed throughout the day, even as emergency measures were planned by stakeholders to allow the sector to hold on until the situation improves.With the war affecting LPG supplies, hoteliers are exploring alternatives such as coal, biogas and electric kitchensThe Delhi HC administration and its advocates were informed that the canteen management would serve food items like sandwiches, salads, fruit chaat and other similar refreshments, but not main course dishes due to non-availability of cooking gas.
Although services resumed soon after LPG supplies were secured for the day, the management said uncertainty over availability remained.In Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, dosa, puri and other gas-guzzling food items are disappearing from the menus of restaurants, canteens and catering services. In some hostels and PG centers along the IT corridor in Hyderabad, some curries like rajma and dishes containing chickpeas were dropped, much to the inconvenience of guests from North India.
Even tea and coffee have been rationed in many restaurants.Hotel associations are exploring alternatives, including coal, firewood, biogas and electric kitchens. IRCTC, the tourism and catering arm of the Railways, has asked fixed catering units at stations to shift to alternative modes – microwave and induction plates. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has rolled back its ban on use of charcoal and firewood by roadside eateries, hotels and dhabas, which it had imposed last January to curb air pollution, saving these establishments a lot.In Bengaluru, while restaurants across the city are much concerned, a few restaurants in the city’s Koramangala area, including the popular Empire restaurant, remain unfazed as the fuel demand is met by a bio-methane plant. “I regret that we did not roll out the biogas model across more outlets earlier,” said Shakir Haq, CEO, Hotel Empire Chain. “Going forward, we are seriously looking at the dual fuel system so that we are not completely dependent on LPG.”
“Some Mumbai bakeries also said that although the BMC had recently instructed them to switch to LPG, their traditional wood-fired ovens remain intact and can be used to meet the demand if the authorities allow it.In Uttar Pradesh, oil marketing companies have begun evaluating whether kerosene — which has been largely phased out over the past few years — could serve as an emergency alternative. In Bihar, Jharkhand and other states too, businesses like PG accommodations, hostels and catering services are bearing the brunt of the commercial cylinder shortage.K Kundan, who runs a PG hostel with nearly 45 girls in Patna, said his kitchen staff have switched to electric cooking arrangements.In states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Goa, hoteliers are struggling to weather a lost tourist season in the future. In Himachal, the hospitality industry has sounded the alarm as the peak tourist season is just a few days away. In Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Kasauli and Kasol, restaurants are already feeling the heat. “The tourist rush increases on weekends, but most hoteliers are not sure whether they should accept advance bookings or not,” said Ashwani Bamba, president, Dharamshala Hotels and Restaurants Association.
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