Concerns about LPG shortages amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia are spreading across many Indian cities, raising concern about a broader supply crunch. Even as the government warned people against panic causing rumors and urged calm, erratic supplies and rising prices of domestic and commercial LPG have prompted households and businesses to search for alternatives for fear of growing shortages.
In Delhi, community kitchens like Langer and Atal canteens are reducing menu options. Chaos operators in student areas in Pune reported erratic availability of cylinders and rising costs, while auto-rickshaw drivers in Bengaluru who use LPG say sudden price increases have increased their expenses.
The shortage is linked to the escalating conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted energy supply routes and LPG shipments to several importing countries, including India.
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Stop selling snacks, only tea: Delhi canteens
In the national capital, many canteens in schools and colleges, where food prices are expected to remain affordable for students, are already under pressure.
A canteen at Jawaharlal Nehru University has started trimming its menu, HT reported.
Vijay Mukhiya, who runs a canteen at the language school, said he would stop selling snacks from Monday and serve only tea.
Students living on the campus also said that the popular Ganga Dhaba restaurant may limit its menu to tea omelettes and bread, and stop eating other meals.
The Delhi School of Economics (DSE) canteen has also temporarily removed, among other things, its famous mutton dosa from the menu. “If the situation continues, we may have to remove many other items because we cannot increase the prices of food items in tertiary institutions where prices are fixed,” said owner Souvik Gupta.
Read also | After the crisis in commercial LPG supply, domestic consumers in Kerala are facing reservation issues
Taking time off from work, endless queues in Mumbai
In Mumbai, single-cylinder households are among the worst affected, prompting many residents to take time off work so they can wait for a refill. Queues were seen from Kandivali in the western suburbs to Dharavi and Bhandup in the eastern suburbs, HT reported.
While residential societies and apartment complexes in large parts of Mumbai receive piped natural gas (PNG), older residential societies and low socio-economic areas still depend on LPG suppliers.
In a slum in Malwani, Malad, Humal Yadavar, 44, booked an LPG cylinder about a month ago. On Thursday, Yadavar waited outside an LPG dealer’s office with his daughters for nearly an hour before he could bring a single cylinder.
Sylvie Kundar, 44, said: “If this is the situation after advance booking, imagine how bad things will be.”
Read also | ‘Disastrous shutdown’: Restaurants in fear, government prioritizes household LPG supplies as India faces ripples from West Asia war
Meal prices increase, sharing one tiffin meal in Pune
About 154 kilometers away, in Pune, restaurant operators in traditional student areas reported difficulty purchasing cylinders, forcing many to raise meal prices while others considered temporary closures.
For students, the disruption is already impacting their daily routines and budgets, with many now looking for smaller home kitchens or restaurants that are still able to cook with limited gas supplies.
“Most of us depend on affordable food services for two meals a day,” said Sarang Dhokari, a student from Marathwada. “With some restaurants closing and prices of others rising, we are now trying to find small home-cooked meals in the nearby lanes.”
Now two of us share one snack because we simply cannot afford the higher prices.
Read also | LPG shortage and rising fuel prices hit cars and canteens in Bengaluru
Uncertainty about supply and prices in Bengaluru
In Bengaluru, auto rickshaw drivers who use LPG said that the sudden price increase has affected them, as auto LPG prices have risen by about $10 per liter within two days. This rise has increased financial pressures on drivers who are already dealing with rising fuel costs.
Gas station workers said they are facing supply disruptions, limiting the amount of LPG they can sell.
The shortage has also raised concerns about the functioning of Indira canteens in Bengaluru, according to people in the municipal body.
The canteens, a pioneering social welfare initiative started during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure between 2013 and 2018, provide subsidized meals to the urban poor. About 180 restaurants operate in the city and serve breakfast $5 and meals for $10.
Trimmed uprights, closeouts and wood fired ovens in Kolkata
Restaurants across Kolkata are also experiencing an acute shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, forcing many restaurants to trim menus, raise prices and even consider temporary closure, industry representatives said on Thursday.
Many food stores also switched to using wood-fired ovens to confront the crisis.
The supply disruption comes in the wake of the recent escalation in West Asia that affected LPG imports to India.
Ajmer cooks with charcoal and wood
In Ajmer, many hotels and restaurants have started returning to using traditional fuel as LPG supplies are dwindling. The Pakistani News Agency reported that many restaurants have switched to using charcoal and firewood for cooking, which has led to a sharp rise in demand.
He said that the daily consumption of wood has increased from about 100 kg to 200-250 kg, and the demand is expected to increase further in the coming days.
Maan Kewalramani, another trader, said that the high demand has affected prices. “Coal that was sold earlier $30 per kg, it is around now $35 per kilogram. Likewise, wood increased from $8 per kilogram to approximately $10 per kilogram. He said many hoteliers are making group bookings to avoid fuel shortages in the near future.
As conflict in West Asia continues to disrupt energy supply routes, pressure on India’s LPG availability may increase in the coming weeks, raising concerns for households, small businesses and food services that rely heavily on it.
