“The hotel industry and other sectors are under severe stress due to this. It is our duty to raise this issue. This is affecting crores of women. The war has impacted Indian industrialists operating in the Middle East,” Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru. Supplies of commercial LPG cylinders have been hit due to the ongoing war in West Asia.
Meanwhile, Tejasvi Surya said he had conveyed reports of a possible LPG cylinder shortage and its potential impact on the hotel industry to Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The minister, he added, has constituted a high-priority panel to ensure uninterrupted LPG supplies to non-domestic users, including hotels.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, in a post on X, said the looming LPG crisis was not unforeseen. It alleged that the Centre failed to undertake adequate contingency planning despite escalating tensions in West Asia that could disrupt global fuel supply chains.
“Consumers have already seen a Rs 307 increase per cylinder over the past three months in commercial LPG and are now facing delays and rationing. Restaurants are shutting and PG residents are staring at food shortages. Families and small businesses are paying the price for the Centre’s failure to ensure stable LPG supplies,” the party said, adding that energy security requires foresight and preparedness.
Restaurants across Bengaluru on Tuesday reported little improvement in the ground situation, with the Bangalore Hotels Association warning of a potential bandh if supplies are not restored soon.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah acknowledged the crisis but criticised the Centre for raising the price of commercial LPG. He said the increase of ₹115 per cylinder was steep.Distributors had been selling commercial cylinders at around ₹1,850 for a 19.2 kg unit, but the price rose to about ₹2,000 on Monday. Distributors have indicated that the price could climb to nearly ₹2,500 per cylinder if supply disruptions continue.
Association president PC Rao told ET that there was no visible improvement in supplies and that the industry was closely monitoring the situation, hoping for intervention from the Centre.
Oil marketing companies had earlier assured that supplies would remain stable for around 70 days, but hotel industry representatives said deliveries had already been affected.
“The government must ensure uninterrupted supply to the hotel industry as it is an essential service,” Rao said.
A hotelier said most establishments could stretch operations for a maximum of three days with current stocks.
Hoteliers said distributors had until recently been offering a discount of about ₹100 on a cylinder priced at ₹1,850 but have now warned of a substantial increase if the crisis worsens.
Sections of the industry said they may have to pass on the higher costs to customers if commercial LPG prices rise further.
