A shortage of cooking gas has begun to disrupt corporate offices in India, with HCLTech allowing employees at its Chennai office to work from home on March 12 and 13 after cafeteria operations were hit
by the LPG crunch, according to a report by Mint.
The move came after several cafeteria vendors were unable to operate due to the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, prompting the company to offer employees the option of remote work for two days, Mint reported citing two senior executives aware of the development.
The disruption highlights the spillover impact of the ongoing LPG supply constraints, which have already forced many restaurants in several cities to temporarily shut operations as commercial cylinders become scarce.
According to the report, the issue is also beginning to affect corporate campuses that rely heavily on commercial LPG for large-scale food preparation.
Queries sent to HCLTech seeking confirmation on the development had not received a response at the time of publishing, the report added.
The shortage comes amid a broader geopolitical backdrop as tensions in West Asia, following the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, begin to create ripple effects across supply chains and energy markets.
India Inc is also starting to feel the wider impact of the regional tensions. Global search firms have said companies with planned or existing exposure to the region are putting senior-level hiring on hold due to rising uncertainty.
Consulting firms have also warned that bonuses could come under pressure in companies exposed to the region, particularly in sectors such as energy, real estate, construction and logistics, where the conflict could disrupt business activity.
The conflict has drawn in several countries in the region and forced governments to take sides. For India, the stakes are high as more than nine million Indians live and work in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.
According to the Mint report, several Indian companies with employees in the region have mapped staff locations, advised safety protocols and set up internal war rooms to monitor developments.
Meanwhile, food-related disruptions linked to the LPG shortage have also prompted Infosys to issue advisories at some of its campuses.
The company informed employees at its Bengaluru offices that cafeterias would function with limited menu options due to an “impending situation regarding availability of commercial LPG”. Live food counters have been suspended and staff have been advised to bring home-cooked meals.
Chennai offices have also seen similar advisories, according to the report.
HCLTech and Infosys together employ a large workforce in India. At the end of last year, Infosys had 337,034 employees, while HCLTech had 226,379 employees, with roughly three-fourths of their workforce based in India.
The LPG shortage has also pushed up prices. The price of a 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder was recently increased by Rs 60, while commercial 19 kg cylinders have become costlier by Rs 144 across major cities.
Industry observers say that if supply disruptions persist, the shortage could begin affecting more corporate campuses and food service providers in the coming weeks.
