LPG shortage triggers panic buying, eateries hit across nations, restaurants warn shut down

PTC News Desk: A shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders, caused by disruptions in global gas supplies due to the Middle East conflict, is affecting several parts of India. Hotels, restaurants and public canteens are being forced to reduce operations, switch to other fuels or temporarily shut down.

Restaurants, especially in big cities, are among the worst affected. Many eateries have reported a severe shortage of commercial LPG cylinders used for cooking. Some have reduced their menus, stopped preparing certain dishes or adopted alternative cooking methods to continue operating.

The shortage has hit Chennai particularly hard. Sources in gas distribution companies said the situation became critical after the supply of nearly five lakh commercial LPG cylinders was stopped. Hotels and industries have been advised to use alternative fuel sources, as the next batch of cylinders is expected only by March 28.

The impact has already led to closures in parts of Tamil Nadu. A hotel in Chennai even put up a notice announcing a holiday on March 11 because of the lack of LPG supply, disappointing customers who had come for tea and breakfast.

The effects were also seen in the national capital, Delhi. At the Delhi High Court lawyers’ canteen, a notice on the tables informed visitors that cooked meals could not be served due to the shortage of LPG cylinders.

“Due to the unavailability of the LPG gas cylinder at present, we are unable to prepare and serve the main course items in the Lawyers’ Canteen,” the notice read, adding that only limited items such as sandwiches, salads and fruit chaat would be available until supply resumed.