Bengaluru: Hotels in Bengaluru are facing an unprecedented crisis as a shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, triggered by the West Asia crisis, begins to hit the industry. On Tuesday, several hotel associations had warned that if the situation continues, they may be forced to shut down operations. The associations said hotel services across the city could be affected from March 10 if gas supplies are not restored soon. The disruption comes amid rising energy costs and supply problems linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
“Since the gas supply has stopped, the hotels will be closed from tomorrow,” the association said in a statement.
Bengaluru LPG Crisis Today
According to the association, commercial gas cylinders are essential for the hotel industry as most kitchens depend entirely on LPG for cooking.
It added that hotels and eateries provide meals to a large number of people in the city, including students, working professionals and medical staff who depend on restaurants for daily food.
Noting that the supply of commercial cylinders had stopped suddenly, the association said the hotel industry would continue to face difficulties until gas supplies return to normal.
The association also pointed out that oil companies had earlier assured the industry that gas supply would remain uninterrupted for 70 days.
“The sudden stoppage has come as a big blow to the hotel industry,” the statement said.
Also Read: No Gas For Momos, Tea Or Biryani: Delhi’s Street Vendors On Edge As LPG Crisis Bites Amid West Asia War
Hotel Owners Say Shutdown Unavoidable
Speaking to reporters, P C Rao said hotel owners do not want to shut their businesses but the shortage has made it unavoidable.
“Without gas, food and refreshments will not be available at the hotels starting tomorrow. Hotels will not open. We have spoken and have sent communications to central ministers. We have also brought the matter to their notice through some MPs from Bengaluru. Without gas, it will not be possible to prepare food, so the government should respond immediately. Let them (government) cut (supplies) to an extent, if required. We too are aware of the situation and know the reasons,” he said.
Restaurants Already Facing Shortage
For the second day in a row, several darshinis and restaurants across Bengaluru said they had not received commercial LPG cylinders. Some eateries said they received barely half of their usual supply.
Because of the shortage, many restaurants have started trimming their menus and temporarily removing dishes that require longer cooking time.
Siddaramaiah also expressed concern over the supply disruption. Addressing reporters, he said the rise in LPG prices is a separate issue but the shortage of supply is worrying. He noted that the central government had increased the price of commercial LPG cylinders by ₹115 and domestic cylinders by ₹60.
“Everyone is of the opinion that this is a lot. What they are doing is not right,” he said.
LPG Price Hike Hits Bengaluru Restaurants
After tensions increased in the Middle East, prices of commercial LPG cylinders were revised three times in March. Users said that by March 9 the official price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder had reached around ₹1,900. However, several restaurant owners said dealers had increased prices further due to supply shortages, as per Times of India.
Sandeep Jain said the sudden price rise was putting huge pressure on restaurants.
“The price of a 19kg commercial LPG cylinder was around Rs 1,600 earlier and went up to about Rs 1,900 recently. But this morning we were told the price shot up to nearly Rs 3,400–Rs 3,500 per cylinder. For a restaurant chain like ours that uses around 50 cylinders a day, this means an additional cost of nearly Rs 80,000 to Rs 90,000 per day. It is almost impossible to sustain such a sudden jump. If this continues, restaurants will have no option but to increase prices for customers just to survive.”
Another hotel owner in Marathahalli said he had to buy a cylinder at a much higher price.
“Yesterday, our supply was hit, and by Monday night I ran out of gas, and then I tried buying it. I was forced to pay close to Rs 3,000 for one cylinder. I wish the govt intervenes at the earliest. There is no stocking of gas, else it will become a major problem.”
Karnataka seeks Centre’s intervention
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to Hardeep Singh Puri seeking urgent intervention to address the shortage. In his letter, the chief minister said the disruption appeared to have been triggered by a revised order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas that prioritises domestic LPG supply.
“While the intention behind the order to ensure uninterrupted LPG supply to households across the country is well understood and appreciated, its implementation appears to have led to an unintended shortage of commercial LPG in Bengaluru,” the letter said.
He warned that several hotels and restaurants in the city may be forced to temporarily shut operations if gas supply is not restored soon.
The letter also highlighted that thousands of small restaurants, mess facilities and catering services in Bengaluru serve lakhs of people every day, including students and professionals who rely on these establishments for meals.
(With Inputs from ANI and PTI)
