Bhubaneswar: City’s popular Khao Galis (street food hubs) are feeling the heat as an acute shortage of LPG cylinders have forced many vendors to shut shops temporarily or drastically scale back operations over the past few days.The impact was reported on busy food stretches near Ram Mandir, Ghatikia, the Patia–Infocity corridor, City Women’s College area and near airport, where several stalls remained closed during peak evening hours.
Vendors say the shortage is linked to disruptions in LPG supply following the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which affected fuel logistics and availability.At Ram Mandir Khao Gali, at least half the stalls were shut on Thursday and Friday evening, say the local vendors.“I usually need one small cylinder every two days. Now I was waiting for a refill for over one week. Without gas, we simply can’t operate,” said Rakesh Sahu, who runs a momo and roll stall in the area.Those who have managed to continue business have sharply reduced menus. Dishes that require longer cooking time, such as biryani, curries, gravies and slow-cooked snacks have been dropped altogether.“I am only selling fried items that take less time to make. Earlier, students would come for chowmein, fried rice and rolls. Now I stopped the rice items completely. Customers are disappointed, but there is no option,” said Chef Salma, a street food vendor near City Women’s College.On the Patia-Infocity stretch, a hub that usually draws large crowds of IT employees and students, several vendors said business dropped by nearly 40 to 50% over the past week.“People come, see limited options and leave. Earlier, we would stay open till 11.30pm. Now we shut by 9.30pm to conserve whatever little gas we have left,” said Anil Das, who runs a kebab stall in Patia.The LPG crunch also had a visible impact on footfall. Regular visitors say the atmosphere at the Khao Galis changed noticeably. “This place is usually buzzing in the evenings, but today (Saturday) many stalls are closed, and variety is missing. It doesn’t feel the same,” said Soumya Ranjan Mishra, a private sector employee who visited the Ram Mandir food hub.Students, a key customer base for street-food vendors, are also feeling the pinch. “We come here almost every evening after classes. Now there are fewer stalls and higher prices because vendors are trying to manage with limited fuel,” said Pooja Nayak, a college student, who went to Ghatikia.Some vendors said they were forced to turn away customers despite demand. “Even if there are customers, what can we do without gas?” asked Mahesh Pradhan, who runs a dosa stall near airport. “Electric alternatives are too expensive for us. If the supply doesn’t improve soon, many of us will have to shut shop permanently.”
