Will Bengaluru hotels shut from today? LPG supply disruption triggers warning

Hotels in Bengaluru will shut operations from March 10 after supplies of commercial LPG cylinders were abruptly stopped, the Bangalore Hotels Association said on Tuesday, warning that the disruption could affect thousands of people who depend on eateries for daily meals.

In a notice, the association said the supply of gas cylinders meant for commercial use had been halted from Tuesday, forcing hotels and restaurants to suspend operations as cooking would not be possible without fuel.

“The supply of gas cylinders for commercial use has been stopped from today. Since the hotel industry is classified as an essential service, common people, senior citizens, students and medical and other people who depend on it will face difficulties in their daily meals,” the association said.

It highlighted that the sudden stoppage of supply was a “big blow” to the hospitality sector, especially after oil companies had earlier indicated that there would be no disruption in gas supply for 70 days.

Speaking to reporters, Bangalore Hotels Association Honorary President P C Rao said hotel owners were unwilling to suspend operations but had no choice as cooking gas was unavailable.

“Without gas, food and refreshments will not be available at the hotels starting tomorrow. Hotels will not open,” Rao said.

He said the association has written to Union ministers and raised the issue through Members of Parliament from Bengaluru, seeking immediate intervention.

“Without gas, it will not be possible to prepare food, so the government should respond immediately. Let them cut supplies to an extent, if required. We too are aware of the situation and know the reasons,” he added.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also expressed concern over the disruption in supply of commercial LPG cylinders.

He said the Centre had recently increased the price of commercial LPG cylinders by ₹115 and domestic cylinders by ₹60, adding that many people believe the increase is excessive.

“Everyone is of the opinion that this is a lot. What they are doing is not right,” he said.

Meanwhile, industry bodies have also flagged shortages of commercial LPG cylinders and urged the government to intervene.

The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) wrote to Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, highlighting “widespread disruption at the ground level”.

FHRAI said several distributors were withholding supplies citing a government order dated March 5.

“In light of these challenges, we request the government to issue a formal clarification confirming that no such restrictions apply to the hospitality and food service sectors,” FHRAI Secretary General Jaison Chacko said in the letter.

The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) also said suppliers of commercial LPG cylinders were unable to meet the requirements of restaurants, severely affecting the industry.

“As per news articles, the government has clarified that there is no ban on supply of commercial LPG cylinders for the restaurant industry. However, the ground situation is different, with suppliers expressing inability to supply the same,” NRAI said in a post on X.