Pune: Nearly 100 eateries out of an estimated 1,200 establishments in Pune have already been affected by the ongoing commercial LPG distribution curbs, with several operating at half capacity, cutting menu items or shutting kitchens altogether as cylinder supplies remain suspended since Monday, according to the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), Pune chapter. Saili Jahagirdar, chapter head of NRAI Pune, said the situation worsened through the day as many restaurants began running out of stock. “Many small eateries, bakeries and snack joints have already closed today. Several are operating at 50% capacity, and by the end of the day, some will exhaust whatever cylinders they have. There is no new stock coming in, and in a couple of days many kitchens will run dry,” she said.Many restaurants have begun cutting slow-cooking dishes from their menus to conserve gas. “Items like dal makhani, gravies and other slow-cooked preparations require continuous gas use, so some kitchens are removing them from the menu. Tandoors that run on gas cannot function, so some restaurants are even considering stopping naan and roti items,” she said. She said the shortage has hit smaller establishments first, but larger restaurants and hotels are also beginning to feel the impact. “Even bigger kitchens are worried because there is no clarity on supply. Hotels cannot stop operations because guests are staying, so this is becoming a serious issue for them as well,” she said. Restaurant owners said switching to alternatives such as induction or electric equipment is not possible at short notice. The shortage has also started affecting online food delivery platforms. Jahagirdar said Swiggy and Zomato orders are already falling as restaurants reduce operations. “Orders are getting affected because some restaurants cannot fulfil them, and some items are no longer available on the menu,” she said. An NRAI source said the shortage has led to blackmarketing of commercial cylinders in the open market. Gaurav Duvedi, CEO of Vishnu Ji Ki Rasoi, said restaurants have very little stock left and may not be able to continue operations after the weekend. “We may manage for two-three days, but after that it will be difficult. We have already taken weekend bookings, but agencies are saying their stock is over,” he said.He said cylinders are being sold at very high rates in the black market. “Some people are quoting Rs5,000–6,000 for a 19kg cylinder, which normally costs around Rs1,800–1,900, and even then there is no guarantee of supply.”Amit Sharma, past-president of the Poona Hoteliers Association (PHA) and current general manager at Amanora The Fern, Pune, said: “As of now, hotels in Pune are somehow managing the situation and trying their best to ensure that guests do not face inconvenience, including those ordering through room service. However, if the LPG supply situation continues like this for a longer period, we may be compelled to trim menus, look at alternative cooking arrangements, or in some cases, even temporarily shut operations.“Sanat Sarpotdar, owner of Poona Guest House and secretary of NRAI Pune chapter, also said that most restaurants have stock only for a few days and are trying temporary alternatives to avoid shutdown. “We have stock for only two-three days across our outlets. We are exploring options such as induction cooking to keep kitchens running, but this cannot fully replace LPG,” he said.
