‘Switching to electric power will raise the cost of Laadi Pav five times to Rs 60’: Mumbai Bakers Association

In a letter submitted to the authorities, the members said that the short notice of five months for switching to alternate fuel is economically and logistically unfeasible. “The traditional pav — a staple food for Mumbaikars — are baked in ovens (bhattis), which are dome-shaped structures made of bricks and mortars suited for wood fires as the sole source of heat. The usage of electricity in baking pav is economically unviable and impossible to be used in the dome shaped structures that have a maximum area of 150 square feet,” the letter read.

“The other alternatives are Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) or Piped Natural Gas (PNG). The LPG requirement for any bakery would not be less than 10 cylinders everyday. The temperature in each bakery varies between 40 and 45 degrees during the afternoon and piling up so many cylinders will increase the risk of an explosion. Not to forget that these bakeries are located in the middle of residential areas,” the letter read.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Ashfaque Siddique, president (South Mumbai), Mumbai Bakers Association, said, “At present, diesel and wood are being used in our ovens. If we switch to electricity, the basic cost of manufacturing will increase. Today a laadi (score) of six pavs cost Rs 12, if we switch to electric, this will lead to a five-time increase of cost as a score of pavs will cost not less than Rs 60.”

“Mumbai’s staple food vada pav will also record a jump in its selling price. This is a sociological problem and the issue is not just confined to our bakery industry,” Siddique said.

Siddique’s family owns multiple bakeries in South Mumbai with the oldest one at Lower Parel being 75 years old, followed by another 25-year-old bakery on Grant Road.

KP Irani, president of the association, who met the civic authorities on Wednesday, said, “The utility providers of PNG lines don’t have adequate network of pipelines and have asked us for a deposit of Rs 95 lakh for giving one connection. Paying such an exorbitant price is not at all feasible for us. Therefore, we have asked the civic authorities to provide us with subsidies and be flexible with the considering the service providers will also need to augment their infrastructure to provide the services.”

A spokesperson of Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL), which supplies utility gas lines to Mumbai, said, “MGL takes a bank guarantee from its industrial and commercial customers towards the cost incurred in laying the infrastructure for the customer. In light of the recent order given by the Bombay High Court and BMC that certain categories of users have to use clean fuel only, the MGL is reviewing its policy to make changes to facilitate the switch to CNG/PNG. MGL also has recently decided to pay the cost of downstream pipeline to facilitate such customers.”

Push for exemption

Samajwadi Party MLA and former corporator Rais Shaikh also wrote to the civic authorities and met the members from the bakery association. Speaking to The Indian Express, Shaikh said, “I have requested Mumbai municipal commissioner to form a committee comprising members of the BMC along with PNG service providers to ensure that the bakery owners get secure connection. I have also told the civic authorities to monitor the progress and provide subsidies.”

Former BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar also wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging the state to provide exemption to the bakeries so that they can continue operating on wood-fired ovens that will help in preserving Mumbai’s culinary history.

“One of the sections that will be most affected by the recent development will be the iconic Irani Cafes in South Mumbai that have been a cornerstone of Mumbai’s history. I request the government to grant heritage status to these cafes and bakeries and exempt them from prohibition on wood and charcoal usage,” read the letter sent by Narwekar.