Vadodara: A growing shortage of cooking gas is choking the city’s bustling street food scene, forcing vendors to shut stalls or turn to makeshift alternatives like firewood to keep their businesses running, and making everyday staples like a quick cup of steaming tea or a plate of spicy roadside noodles increasingly hard to find.Over the past few days, several roadside food stalls have downed shutters, while others are struggling to stay operational amid dwindling LPG supplies. For many vendors who rely on quick, affordable cooking, the crisis has disrupted their daily livelihood.“It’s been almost five days since my gas cylinder ran out,” said Hitesh Mali, who runs an egg stall on Old Padra Road. “I had to arrange firewood and set up a furnace near my stall. We are not getting new cylinders, and the situation is getting tougher.” He added that at least two vendors operating nearby have already shut down.Street food vendors largely depend on LPG cylinders as they are economical and ensure faster cooking. However, the ongoing supply disruption — reportedly linked to tensions in West Asia — has left them in a difficult position, with no clarity on when normal supply will resume.“The cylinders we have are running out quickly, and we may soon have to reduce our working hours,” said Vaibhav Kharchikar, who runs a South Indian food stall in Manjalpur. “Even at a premium, new cylinders are not available. One cylinder usually lasts eight to ten days, and we never expected such a shortage.”Some vendors have attempted to adapt by switching to electric plates, but this has limited their menu options. “My current cylinder will last only two more days,” said Vishnu Parte, who runs a tea stall near the Fine Arts faculty of MSU. “After that, I may have to shut down or use firewood. We survive on daily income — if we don’t work, we don’t earn.”The impact is already visible across the city. Popular outlets like Vijay Chinese in the Diwalipura area have remained shut for over a week. Owner Manoj Soni said high-flame cooking required for Chinese food is difficult with alternatives like firewood or coal. “There are other options like diesel stoves, but investing heavily in them without certainty is risky,” he said.Jayesh Parmar, who runs a tea stall near Sayajibaug, said he too had to close his stall for a couple of days due to the shortage of gas cylinders.
