From cooktops and microwaves to firewood and solar options, restaurants, street food vendors, and catering businesses across the country are scrambling for alternatives as a shortage of commercial LPG cylinders begins to disrupt kitchens amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
With the government prioritizing domestic cooking gas supply to households, businesses that rely on commercial LPG – from small eateries to high-end restaurants – are closely monitoring the situation, with some even facing the possibility of closure in the near future.
In the national capital, Delhi, irregular LPG supply has affected kitchens across the city, leaving many restaurants with only a day or two of stock, causing concern about staff wages and temporary closures.
The canteen at the Delhi High Court announced that it would temporarily halt its "main course" menu due to the unavailability of cooking gas. However, services resumed shortly after securing a supply of LPG.
At the famous 'Chappan Dukan' street food hub in Indore, vendors have started switching to electric appliances to keep the city's food culture alive.
Shopkeepers say they will also consider using solar-powered appliances if necessary.
Gunjan Sharma, president of the 56-shop Chaat Chowpatty Traders Association, stated that the supply of commercial LPG cylinders has been stopped, and they have purchased electric appliances.
Similar adjustments are being attempted elsewhere, with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) asking catering units in its western zone to switch to microwave ovens and induction plates.
IRCTC has asked food plaza operators, refreshment room staff, and 'Jan Ahaar' providers to adopt alternative arrangements to maintain seamless catering services for traveling passengers.
In Uttarakhand, the government has begun preparing to supply firewood to businesses if the shortage deepens, as Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal described the current situation as a crisis.
Restaurant owners and vendors in places like Puducherry and Rajasthan said their kitchens are under strain due to supply shortages, forcing them to reduce working hours to manage operations.
A spokesperson for a hotel association in Puducherry stated that most establishments have either shifted to using firewood or are minimizing working hours to manage the situation, while also opting for electric cookers.
"If the crisis continues for even a day, we would have no choice but to close down," the spokesperson said.
Roadside restaurants remained closed in most parts of Puducherry, while eateries have reduced their menus in some other areas.
The disruption in supply has begun to affect businesses across Rajasthan. Restaurant owners said the shortage is already affecting kitchens, and wedding expenses are also expected to increase.
According to the Jaipur Catering Dealers Committee, the city has around 6,000 to 7,000 restaurants and dhabas that depend on commercial LPG cylinders. Additionally, several hostel kitchens, mess facilities, and highway eateries also use commercial cylinders for daily cooking.
The wedding industry is also concerned, as the disruption is happening during a peak wedding season.
"The current wedding season continues until March 15 and will resume after a month's gap. Because of the LPG shortage, the cost of a wedding could rise by Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000," Ravi Jindal, president of the Rajasthan Tent Dealers Association, said.
Meanwhile, concerns over possible shortages have led to panic buying and hoarding in some places.
In Bengaluru, Karnataka, panic inquiries about domestic LPG cylinders have increased in recent days, with dealers stating that stocks are currently adequate.
In West Bengal, long queues were seen outside gas agency offices and at LPG dispensing centers for auto-rickshaws, most of which run on liquefied petroleum gas, in Kolkata and several other cities, including Siliguri and Jalpaiguri.
Authorities have also begun cracking down on hoarding and black-marketing.
In Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, police arrested seven men after an encounter and recovered over 500 LPG cylinders stolen during Holi festivities.
The state government has put authorities on alert against rumours and possible black marketing of petrol, diesel, and LPG, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directing officials to ensure strict monitoring and action against violators in the state.
Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa also warned LPG dealers against indulging in black marketing or "blackmailing" consumers during the crisis.
Amid these concerns, the government and oil companies have sought to reassure the public that domestic LPG cylinders remain secure.
The Indian Oil Corporation, which supplies LPG cylinders to almost 85 per cent of Northeast India, said it has adequate stocks to meet the demands, and its nine bottling plants in the region were operating at full capacity.
Muniyappa also told the Karnataka Assembly that oil companies have assured of giving at least one domestic cylinder per month to every family.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said efforts are being made by the Centre and the state government to ensure an adequate supply of LPG cylinders to the people.
However, opposition leaders sharply criticized the Centre, accusing it of failing to prepare for disruptions in energy supplies.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a discussion in Parliament on the issue.
"The Modi Government's fake 'source-based' assurances expose its utter incompetence. The Union Government was aware of the impending war in West Asia. Yet, it did nothing to secure India's energy supply," he said in a post on X.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also criticized the Centre.
"How much more will the people tolerate? In the last 10 years, prices of all things have gone up, unemployment is rising, and now look at the LPG situation," she told reporters in the Parliament House complex.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Centre failed to ensure adequate reserves of cooking gas and petroleum products amid a nationwide shortage.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal slammed the Narendra Modi government for the "heavy LPG shortage" affecting people across the country and questioned the prime minister's "support" for Israel and the US.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged a shortage in supply of domestic cooking gas, accusing the BJP government of failing to ensure smooth distribution of LPG cylinders, and claiming that people are being denied refills despite waiting in long queues.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan sought Modi's intervention to ensure an uninterrupted LPG supply and mitigate the impact of price rise.
India consumes about 31.3 million tonnes of LPG annually. As much as 87 per cent of this is in the domestic sector, i.e. household kitchens, and the rest in commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants.
Of this total requirement, as much as 62 per cent is met through imports. The US-Israel attacks on Iran and Tehran's retaliation have shut the Strait of Hormuz, a key sea route through which India gets 85-90 per cent of its LPG imports from West Asian nations, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.