Hyderabad: Despite clear directions from the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) prohibiting hotels and restaurants from levying separate gas or fuel charges, several small-sized eateries are continuing the practice, often informally and without proper billing, raising concerns over transparency and consumer rights.The CCPA recently clarified that operational costs such as LPG and fuel are part of a restaurant’s overall pricing structure and must be included in the menu prices, not added as separate line items on bills. However, ground reports suggest that many establishments are bypassing these norms.In many cases, customers claim they are being asked to pay an additional 10 to 100 in cash or via digital payment, without any mention on the official bill. “We noticed a 30 extra charge when paying, but it wasn’t printed on the bill. When we questioned it, the staff said it was for gas,” said Khushi, an interior designer who recently dined at a local eatery. “It felt unfair because there was no prior information,” she added.One Teja wrote on X, tagging relevant departments, “CollectorMdl @CPCyberabad @CMC_Offcl @GummallaSrijana @cyberabadpolice @1033_Helpline @MC_Cyberabad today my friend was charged Extra 10 RS on the name of Gas in Pranshi Food Court located in Pragathi Nagar. Req you to please take n/a @itz_sagarreddy.”Restaurant owners, on the other hand, argue that rising fuel prices and supply constraints are putting pressure on their margins. “We are already struggling with increasing costs. Adjusting menu prices frequently isn’t practical, so some outlets are recovering costs this way,” admitted a small restaurant operator on condition of anonymity.
