4 min readAhmedabadMar 19, 2026 01:29 PM IST
First published on: Mar 19, 2026 at 01:29 PM IST
Written by Aryan Matthews
Nearly 20 days into the West Asia conflict, the shortage of LPG cylinders continues to affect educational institutions, particularly residential campuses, in Gujarat, with canteen and mess operators warning that prolonged disruption could force them to switch to alternative cooking methods or change their menus.
At the canteen of B J Medical College in Ahmedabad, operator Jitendra Singh Tomar said he is running on his last LPG cylinders, with fresh supplies yet to arrive despite expectations of improvement.
“I am still on the last cylinder. The cylinders haven’t come yet. The distributor has told us they should arrive within the next 2 to 3 days. If new cylinders don’t arrive soon, we may have no option but to start cooking on a wood-fired stove,” Tomar said on Wednesday.
B J Medical College, the largest in Gujarat, has at least 650 students across its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
A similar concern has emerged in Vadodara, where campus eatery operators say the shortage is starting to affect day-to-day cooking.
“The college has a guideline where at least two subzis must be served. Because of that, we cannot reduce the menu. We will try to continue somehow,” Tomar said.
Tomar, who has been operating the canteen for the past year, said a prolonged shortage could make it increasingly difficult for vendors serving large student populations. “If the situation continues like this, there will be a lot of difficulty. We hope the government finds a solution soon,” he added.
Tomar, who has been running the canteen for the past year, said a prolonged shortage could make it increasingly difficult for vendors serving large student populations. “We hope the government finds a solution soon,” he added.
A similar concern has emerged in Vadodara, where campus eatery operators say the shortage is starting to affect day-to-day cooking.
At the Arts Faculty canteen of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, operator Rahul Kharwal said they are already on the verge of running out of LPG cylinders. “The last cylinder we had is almost finished. If we don’t get another one soon, it will become difficult to cook. From tomorrow, we may only be able to sell ready-made items like samosas and puffs,” Kharwal said.
Located near the Hansa Mehta Library on the Arts Faculty campus, the canteen primarily serves vegetarian snacks such as vada pav, as well as tea and coffee to students and faculty members.
Kharwal said that while operations are continuing for now with the remaining gas, menu changes may soon become unavoidable. “At present, we are managing with whatever gas is left, but once it finishes, we will have to cut down on freshly cooked items. We might prepare a few things at home and bring them to the canteen, but it will not be possible,” he said.
He added that there is no clarity yet on when fresh cylinders will be available and the shortage is being felt widely across food establishments. “Everyone who depends on LPG cylinders is facing the same problem. Until supplies improve, it will be difficult to continue normal cooking,” Kharwal said.
With many students relying on campus canteens for affordable meals and snacks, operators say a prolonged LPG cylinder shortage could seriously disrupt daily food services in educational institutions.
On March 16, the Gujarat Government increased the weekly LPG supply quota by 20 per cent for essential and semi-essential services, including commercial ones.
(Aryan Matthews is an intern at The Indian Express, Ahmedabad)
Canteen of B J Medical College in Ahmedabad. (Express Photo) 
A similar concern has emerged in Vadodara, where campus eatery operators say the shortage is starting to affect day-to-day cooking.
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