Stocks may last 1–2 days: Tamil Nadu restaurants cut menu items amid LPG shortage as Gulf conflict spirals

CHENNAI: Restaurants across Tamil Nadu are facing a looming crisis as existing stocks of commercial LPG cylinders are expected to last only one or two days amid supply disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict, hoteliers said on Tuesday.

Several hotels and eateries have already begun reducing the number of dishes on their menus in an attempt to conserve LPG.

“It feels like a second COVID-19 lockdown for us,” the chairman of a popular restaurant chain told news agency PTI on condition of anonymity. “We are cutting down LPG use and limiting food items. Preparing dishes like dosa, tea or coffee requires continuous gas supply, so we have reduced the menu and are serving food in limited quantities.”

He said current stocks may last only a couple of days. “If there is no fresh supply of commercial LPG cylinders, we may have no option but to shut operations,” he added.

At Sri Anandas, another well-known eatery in Chennai, the menu displayed on Tuesday indicated a sharp reduction in available dishes due to the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders.

An official from the restaurant said that items requiring higher gas consumption—such as fried rice, side dishes and appam—have been temporarily removed from the menu to conserve fuel. “Until now we had no issues with LPG supply, but today we have had to cut down our offerings. We do not know how long this situation will continue,” the official said.

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Hotels Association had appealed to the Government of India on March 7 to withdraw an order directing oil marketing companies to suspend the supply of commercial LPG cylinders.

On March 6, the Centre invoked emergency powers to instruct refineries to increase LPG production to ensure adequate availability of domestic cooking gas amid fears of supply disruptions due to the widening West Asia conflict.

A day later, prices of domestic LPG cylinders were increased by ₹60, while commercial cylinders saw a hike of Rs 114.5.

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