Bhopal News: Bhopal; LPG Crisis Chokes Food Industry
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A severe shortage of commercial LPG cylinders has pushed Bhopal’s food industry into crisis, forcing nearly 7,000 food stalls, carts, kiosks and small eateries to prepare for a shutdown within the next 48 hours.
The disruption has affected the entire food chain—from street vendors and tiffin services to restaurants and hotels—with businesses struggling to manage daily cooking operations.
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According to traders and vendors, nearly 50 per cent of restaurants are planning to suspend online food delivery services, as the LPG supply crunch has made large-scale food preparation difficult.
Meanwhile, gas distributors clarified that domestic LPG supply remains normal, urging residents not to panic or make unnecessary bookings. Officials assured that household cylinder deliveries will continue as scheduled.
No. 6 food hawkers’ zone turns silent
The impact is already visible at the city’s popular food hubs. At the No. 6 food hawkers’ zone, which usually sees over 2,000 visitors daily, nearly 80 per cent of stalls were shut by Wednesday evening.
Tony, who runs a fast-food stall selling Chinese dishes, said Wednesday could be his last working day for now.
He said 19-kg commercial LPG cylinders, which earlier cost around ?1,500, are now reportedly being sold in the black market for nearly ?3,000, making it impossible for small vendors to continue operations.
Tiffin services, small eateries worst hit
The shortage has severely affected small eateries and tiffin centres, particularly in residential areas such as Nehru Nagar, where many students rely on affordable meals.
Prabhat Soni, owner of Mangalm Restaurant, said operations have almost come to a halt due to the shortage.
“We normally use three cylinders a day, but the supply has stopped and our reserve stock is already exhausted,” he said.
The suspension of tiffin services has also created difficulties for students and migrant workers who depend on low-cost meals.
Vendors in New Market also reported temporarily shutting their stalls due to the lack of commercial LPG.
Panic buying despite normal domestic supply
Amid the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, rumours of a possible domestic LPG shortage triggered panic buying among residents.
Long queues were seen outside gas agencies on Wednesday as people rushed to secure refills.
R.K. Gupta, a gas agency operator, said bookings have increased two to three times above normal levels, with customers visiting agencies directly instead of waiting for home delivery.
Officials reiterated that domestic LPG supply remains sufficient and urged residents to avoid panic bookings.
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