LPG shortage hits city eateries

Hyderabad: With the concern growing over the shortage of liquid petroleum gas (LPG), hotels and restaurants across the city have begun to feel the impact, with several owners reporting a sharp drop in the supply of the gas that could affect the eatery business.

Amid ongoing holy month of Ramzan, the situation has sparked anxiety among the establishments as they rely heavily on a steady flow of commercial gas to run their kitchens. If it continues, the upcoming seasons - weddings in all communities and Ugadi will be severely hit.

According to the hoteliers, the supply has dropped drastically. Syed Ali Raza Kazmi, owner of Lucky group of restaurants, said: “We used to order around 30 cylinders daily, but now we are receiving only 12. If this situation persists, we may find it challenging to prepare food for all our customers.”

Additionally, there has been a rise in the price of LPG. Normally, prices are fixed on the first of each month, but recently, they have been increased twice, he noted.

Furthermore, the month of Ramzan is a peak season for hoteliers, as people prefer dining out. “With the exception of Haleem, all other dishes are prepared using LPG, and this situation could push the hotel industry into a severe crisis,” Ali Reza said.

Mohammed Majeed of Pista House said: “The regular food served in the restaurant is likely to be affected by this sudden development. We have a stock for two days hardly. Restaurants cannot function without LPG. A disruption in the supply essentially means shutting down kitchens,” he added.

Food is a basic necessity, and hotels play a vital role in providing this essential service. Particularly during the ongoing Ramzan, a variety of dishes are prepared using gas. The current shortage will significantly impact hotels, especially smaller businesses.

Mohammed Amjad, a hotelier, stated that all Ramzan dishes rely on LPG and cannot be prepared using coal, firewood, or electric methods. “We will be affected during this peak season,” he lamented.

Another hotelier said: “We must have to buy from the black market and pay double the rate. Normally, a commercial cylinder costs Rs 1,990, and the same cylinder is now costing around Rs 3,000 now,” he said.

Meanwhile, the tea hotels and tea sellers were also affected. Ravi Kumar, a chaiwala (small vendor), said the shutdown came without warning. “The entire preparation of tea relies on gas and if it gets empty, there is no other option for preparing tea,” he said.

In Hyderabad, there are approximately 20,000 hotels, restaurants, and cafés. Many restaurant owners express that they might need to adjust their menus, cut back on gas-intensive dishes, or increasingly depend on electrical appliances or firewood to maintain kitchen operations. However, transitioning to electrical equipment could increase expenses and restrict certain cooking methods that require gas. Some establishments are also considering the use of piped natural gas.