Chennai: The commercial LPG shortage that began with restaurants in Chennai has now spread to corporate canteens, hostels, paying guest accommodations,
and wedding halls, with cylinder prices crossing ₹5,000 in the black market. The Tamil Nadu IT Hostel and PG Owners Welfare Association, representing 15,000 facilities, has halted coffee, tea and tiffin items to conserve fuel.
Many vegetarian and non-vegetarian restaurants are at risk of closure today due to the gas cylinder shortage. The lack of cylinders last night has pushed numerous restaurants to the brink of closure. The sound and smoke of the war raging on the Iranian border about 3,000 kilometers away have now slowly started penetrating the stoves of Indian housewives.
Global crisis hits home
In response to the blockage of the world’s energy route, the Strait of Hormuz, the LPG cylinder shortage has taken a global form in India. On one hand, people are queuing in front of gas agencies, and on the other hand, the hotel industry from Chennai to Kolkata has started to falter due to the lack of commercial cylinders.
More than 60 percent of India’s cooking gas requirement is met through imports. The worst part is that 85 to 90 percent of this imported gas must come through the troubled Strait of Hormuz. This transport ban has come as a huge blow to India, which consumes 31 million tons of LPG annually. Of this, 87 percent is allocated for domestic use, and the rest is allocated to hotels and restaurants. Due to the current shortage, the central government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to save home cooking. As a result, commercial cylinder supply has almost come to a standstill.
Chennai restaurants at risk of closure
The Chennai Hotel Association has written to the Petroleum Minister stating that commercial cylinder distributors have opened their hands wide saying there is no stock. The famous Annapurna hotel has temporarily suspended some meals at its branches. There are chances that important restaurants in Chennai will close today, with many vegetarian and non-vegetarian restaurants likely to shut their doors.
Crisis across india
Mumbai is paralysed as the city’s hotel association AHAR has warned that if the situation does not improve in the next two days, 50 percent of hotels will close. Already, many restaurants in Dadar and Andheri areas have shortened their menu cards. The situation in Chennai has not improved at all.
In Bengaluru, many hotels have switched to wood stoves. The owner of Bengaluru’s iconic Vidyarthi Bhavan spoke to the media with great anguish, stating that the five cylinders needed will arrive only by tomorrow afternoon. If more gas does not arrive, there is no choice but to close the shop. Two tawas have already been turned off to save gas.
Government measures fall short
Although the government says that there is no shortage, the situation on the ground is different. Domestic cylinder prices have been hiked by ₹60 and commercial cylinders by ₹114.5. To avoid hoarding, the cylinder booking interval has been increased from 21 days to 25 days. Commercial cylinders are being provided on priority basis only to hospitals and educational institutions.
Hospitals still report stable supply, but private chains say menus may soon be simplified if the disruption continues. If this shortage continues, the price of the masala dosa on your plate may go up or the dish itself may be temporarily removed from the menu.
