Ira Singh 
The catering and restaurant industry in Ahmedabad is facing a major operational crisis as the supply of commercial LPG cylinders has reportedly been disrupted, leaving thousands of small eateries, caterers and food vendors struggling to continue operations.The shortage, which industry representatives link to global supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, has begun affecting food businesses across Gujarat.According to industry estimates, more than 10,000 small restaurants, street food stalls and catering units in Ahmedabad depend on commercial cylinders and could be severely affected if supply is not restored soon.Officials of the Gujarat Hotel and Restaurant Association said restaurants that rely on piped gas supply are unlikely to face disruptions, but smaller establishments that depend on commercial cylinders are already under strain.
Commercial cylinder disruption hits hotels and eateries
The halt in the supply of commercial cylinders has directly impacted hotels, restaurants, caterers and snack manufacturing units. Industry members said that hotel operators were not prepared for the sudden supply stoppage and had not maintained large stocks of cylinders.Hotel operators noted that cylinders were earlier available quickly and were typically ordered as needed. The abrupt disruption has left many establishments struggling to run their kitchens.Restaurants and catering businesses that operate without piped gas connections are expected to face the worst impact if the shortage continues for the next few days.
Industry leaders expressed concern that nearly 10,000 small restaurants and catering units in Ahmedabad rely on commercial cylinders. If supply does not resume within the next two days, many eateries may be forced to temporarily shut operations.Operators fear that prolonged disruption could lead to job losses across the sector. Restaurant owners said the situation could resemble the operational difficulties seen during the COVID-19 pandemic if the shortage persists.
Menus may be altered to reduce gas consumption
Many restaurant owners and food stall operators have already started exploring ways to manage the shortage. Several establishments are considering changes to their menus, prioritising dishes that require less gas for cooking.Items that require long cooking times or high gas consumption may be discontinued temporarily. Some hotel operators said they might reduce operating hours or run limited services, similar to pandemic-era restrictions.
Narendrabhai Somani, President of the Gujarat Hotel and Restaurant Association, said the halt in supply is already affecting smaller food businesses.“The supply of commercial cylinders has completely stopped. So the biggest problem is that small restaurants that don't run on gas lines will face major difficulties. In Gujarat, 70 to 80% of hotels run on gas lines but 20 to 30% of restaurants run on gas cylinders,” Somani said.He added, “Small shops and stalls that run on gas cylinders are now unable to get cylinders. After talking to the company and distributors at two-three places, we got to know that commercial cylinders have been suspended. As a result, small restaurants and food carts running on cylinders have started shutting down gradually. Its major impact will be visible in two days. Small restaurant owners and food cart vendors in Gujarat will have to shut down.”The disruption is also expected to heavily impact catering businesses, particularly those handling wedding and event bookings.
Somani said, “Small restaurant owners typically keep only one, two, or three bottles in stock, and they don't keep more than that because space is a major issue. Earlier, cylinders were easily available and there was a time when commercial cylinders were available within an hour. The biggest impact will be on catering service providers because those who have already booked wedding events face a big question about how they will manage these functions.”He added, “A major crisis has begun for caterers. Large food markets including Manek Chowk and Law Garden operate on gas cylinders, so all of them will shut down. We are making representations to the government to resume the supply that has been stopped as soon as possible. Otherwise, a very big problem is going to arise.”
Restaurants may close if supply does not resume
Dilipbhai Thakkar, Co-Chapter Head Ahmedabad and National Restaurant Association of India, said restaurants may soon face closures if the supply situation remains unresolved.
“While the situation is normal today, from tomorrow many restaurants may have to close. This is because the commercial cylinder supply has been completely stopped. The government has imposed restrictions on commercial cylinders. Commercial cylinder supply has been stopped to ensure household stoves don't shut down,” he said.He added, “Currently everyone has become accustomed to gas. Therefore, restaurants could be badly affected without commercial cylinders. There are around 10,000 different units in Ahmedabad. During Covid era, people were running restaurants for one time only, there were curfew-like conditions and they were only doing home delivery - hotel operators will have to do the same in current times as well.”Thakkar further said, “Some hotel operators will also have to close their restaurants. Some people may also have to change their hotel menus. Everyone will need to work in a way that prevents wasteful use of gas. Items that use less gas should be prepared. A good restaurant typically employs at least 30 people. If gas is not available and hotels cannot operate, then how can they keep their staff employed. Therefore, stopping gas cylinder supply will also negatively impact employment.”
Supply disruption also affecting Surat distributors
The shortage is also being felt in Surat, where distributors say the supply chain has been disrupted.Ajitbhai Patel, proprietor of AR Contractors and a gas distributor in the city, said the war situation has affected production of commercial cylinders.“Gas production has been adversely affected due to the war situation. The company has currently stopped the production of commercial cylinders. No one can say when this shortage will end because everything depends on how long the war continues. This global uncertainty has impacted local businesses significantly,” Patel said.He added that hundreds of cylinders are required daily in Surat, but many customers are returning empty-handed due to lack of stock.“20 to 50 customers come to his agency daily with demands for commercial cylinders, but due to unavailability of stock, they have to return empty-handed. In many cases, frustrated customers get into conflicts with distributors, but distributors are also helpless as they depend on the company's supply,” he said.
Domestic LPG supply remains normal
Authorities and distributors have reassured households that domestic LPG supply remains unaffected.Officials said companies are currently prioritising the supply of domestic 14.2-kg cylinders to ensure household cooking needs are met. Consumers have been urged not to panic or hoard cylinders, as the shortage is limited to commercial LPG used by businesses.
(State Correspondent)
