Gurgaon: Construction sites, where hundreds of workers rely on site canteens for daily meals, are also feeling the impact of LPG shortage as contractors struggle to procure commercial cylinders for cooking.At a metro construction site in Gurgaon, one of the major infrastructure projects under way in the city, contractors operate kitchens that serve food to workers in multiple shifts. With over 600 workers deployed at one such site, the canteen functions throughout the day, preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner. Running the kitchen, however, has become challenging due to difficulty in sourcing commercial LPG cylinders. According to one contractor, the kitchen typically uses three to four cylinders daily to cook meals for labourers and supervisory staff. These cylinders are usually procured through authorised LPG agencies. However, the agency indicated that maintaining a regular supply may not be possible due to the ongoing shortage.“We arranged some cylinders on Thursday and now have a stock for two to three days. But if the supply is not ensured, then it will become a challenge to run the canteen,” a staff member of the kitchen said. The issue was taken up directly with the oil marketing company to stabilise supply. Contractors said they approached Indian Oil through GMRL, which is executing the metro project between Millennium City Centre and Cyber City, to ensure continuous availability of LPG at the site.At the same time, alternative arrangements are also being explored in case the shortage persists. Options such as eco fuel and electric bhattis are being considered to reduce reliance on LPG for cooking. For workers stationed at the site, the canteen remains the only reliable source of meals during long hours. “Labourers spend the entire day at the site and depend on the facility for regular food. So, the smooth functioning of the kitchen is essential for us,” another staff member said.“We cannot close the kitchen. This is not about a few people, more than 600 workers depend on these meals every day. We raised the matter with Indian Oil to ensure regular supply of LPG cylinders, as the metro project is a priority and any disruption can hamper the progress,” an official of the contracting agency said.Currently, Phase 1 of the Millennium City Centre and Cyber City metro corridor is under construction. In August last year, Dilip Buildcon Ltd and Ranjit Buildcon Ltd were tasked with the construction of Phase 1 for Rs 1,277 crore, and the work is expected to take 30 months. Under this phase, a 15.3 km-long metro corridor will be built between Millennium City Centre and Sector 9, with a spur to Dwarka Expressway in Sector 101. The pile cap work started last month.
