Mumbai’s restaurants are struggling with a severe commercial LPG shortage, forcing 35-40% to close or cut services
MUMBAI: The shortage of commercial LPG continues to taka a toll on restaurants across Mumbai. According to sources in the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR), the percentage of those pulling down shutters or curtailing their menu and services has touched 35-40%. Majority of these are in the island city as they are more dependent on LPG cylinders in the absence of the PNG pipeline network here. According to AHAR office bearers, out of the 40% affected, nearly 20% have completely shut down while the rest have restricted kitchen timings and reduced the number of dishes cooked.
Hotel Anand in Ghatkopar is among those that have shut; so is Poornima in Fort. Ramashray in Matunga has downsized its menu by 50% while Soul Fry in Bandra has suspended its lunch service and introduced sandwiches, salads and steamed dishes.
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The owner of Hindmata restaurant in Bombay Central said while he has curtailed timings and truncated the menu, he is worried he won’t be able to provide regular meals to his workers if the shortage is prolonged. Vijay Shetty, president of AHAR, said the crisis may deepen and the percentage of hotels impacted may hit 60% if the shortage is not plugged within a day or two. “A large number of hoteliers in the city have cylinders that can only last till Thursday evening,” he added. A majority of restauranteurs TOI spoke to said black marketing of LPG cylinders was inflating their costs. Some have switched to induction stoves and limited the items on the menus to tide over the crisis. Shetty said food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal told them that there would be a meeting of all the oil companies on Thursday in the presence of state chief secretary Rajesh Aggarwal after which a clearer picture will emerge. AHAR has 8,000 hoteliers as members in Mumbai alone and 4 lakh-plus across Maharashtra. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told TOI that he had a meeting with hoteliers and was awaiting instructions from the Centre regarding LPG supply. He denied rumors that the ongoing budget session of the state legislature would be curtailed due to the LPG shortage. Canteens and eateries in and around the legislature premises depend on cylinder supply. Supply of bread and pav may also slow down if the shortage worsens. “Recently BMC had instructed us to change our traditional firewood ovens to make them run on gas. However, given the war in the Gulf, there is increasing uncertainty on the availability of LPG cylinders. Bakeries like ours require continous and high-volume fuel supply. Our traditional wood-fired ovens are still intact and operational. We request BMC to allow us to operate them for another six months,” said Asif Farooqui of Azmi Bakery and Tawakkal Bakery.Payal Thakkar of Munchbox Thali said due to severe gas shortage, supply currently available is being procured at significantly higher prices. Amarjeet Shetty of the Ramashray chain said it is the common Mumbaikar who has meals on the go who is suffering now.
