Commercial LPG stocks can last only for 1-2 days: Tamil Nadu hotels

The Tamil Nadu Hotels Association appealed to the Centre to withdraw its order instructing oil marketing companies to suspend commercial LPG cylinders.

Chennai: Hotels and restaurants across Tamil Nadu may soon be forced to suspend operations as supplies of commercial LPG cylinders have slowed amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, industry representatives said on Tuesday. Many establishments warned that their current stock of cooking gas may last only for another one or two days.

To manage the shortage, several eateries have already begun limiting the number of dishes they prepare in order to conserve LPG.

One restaurant chain chairman, according to PTI report, said that the situation has begun to resemble the disruption faced by the sector during the COVID-19 lockdown.

According to him, kitchens require a continuous supply of gas for commonly served items such as dosa, tea and coffee, making it difficult to continue regular operations. As a result, many restaurants have scaled down their menus and are preparing food only in restricted quantities.

He added that if fresh supplies of commercial LPG cylinders do not arrive soon, hotels may have no option but to temporarily shut down. With the current reserves, most establishments expect to function only for the next couple of days.

The impact of the shortage has already begun to show in Chennai. Sri Ananda, a well-known hotel in the city, informed customers on Tuesday that several dishes had been removed from its menu due to the limited availability of commercial LPG cylinders. Hotel officials said items such as fried rice, appam and certain side dishes have been stopped as they require higher gas consumption.

The Tamil Nadu Hotels Association had earlier raised concerns over the issue. On March 7, the body appealed to the Centre to withdraw its directive asking oil marketing companies to suspend the supply of commercial LPG cylinders.

The move came a day after the government invoked rarely used emergency powers on March 6 to ask oil refineries to increase LPG production. The step was aimed at ensuring adequate availability of domestic cooking gas amid concerns over supply disruptions linked to the escalating West Asia conflict.

Meanwhile, LPG prices were also revised on March 7, with domestic cylinders becoming costlier by ₹60 and commercial cylinders by ₹114.5.