Commercial LPG shortage in Bengaluru: Siddaramaiah urges Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri to ensure adequate supply for eateries

While acknowledging the Centre’s objective of ensuring uninterrupted cooking gas for households, Siddaramaiah said the implementation of the March 9 ministry directive has led to an “unintended shortage” for commercial users.

“Several hotels and restaurant associations in the city have reported that they are unable to procure commercial LPG cylinders, and many establishments are expressing concern that they may have to temporarily shut operations if supplies are not restored soon. Bengaluru has a large ecosystem of small restaurants, mess facilities, and catering units that serve lakhs of people every day,” the Karnataka CM stated in his letter.

“Any disruption to their functioning will have a direct impact on daily life in the city”, he said.

CM Siddaramaiah said that the state’s commercial LPG demand is traditionally met by three major oil marketing companies: Indian Oil Corporation (500–550 metric tonnes (MT) per day), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (300 MT per day) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (230 MT per day).

The sudden disruption of this supply is now severely affecting hotels, catering establishments and other commercial users in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah stated in the letter.

Suspension of bulk commercial supply

Due to disruptions caused by the conflict in West Asia, the Centre invoked the Essential Commodities Act on March 9. It directed refiners to maximise LPG production and to prioritise household supply. The measures implemented include a mandatory 25-day gap between cylinder bookings and a temporary suspension of bulk commercial supply.

Amid the crisis, restaurants in Bengaluru are considering removing fried items from their menus because these dishes require substantial amounts of cooking gas, according to hoteliers.