Bengaluru: The geopolitical crisis thousands of kilometres away in West Asia is now having an unlikely impact in the heart of India’s tech capital: unpressed clothes.Across central Bengaluru, dozens of roadside pressers/ironers (isthriwalas) say they are struggling to keep their irons hot, as commercial LPG cylinders have become scarce amid the ongoing supply crunch. The shortage has forced many to turn away customers and delay deliveries.“I have started reducing the number of new orders for ironing,” said Muthulakshmi P, 51, who runs a pushcart ironing stall on Rhenius Street in Richmond Town. “At this stage, I have fuel left barely for a week. Luckily for us, we took a new cylinder not long back. I work with my son; hence, we require two cylinders at a time. Now that he has gone to our hometown in Tamil Nadu, the consumption is less.”Many of these small ironing stalls switched from coal-fired irons to LPG-powered ones during the peak of the Covid pandemic in 2021, when coal became difficult to source. Muthulakshmi too made the transition then, investing nearly Rs 16,000 in LPG-powered iron boxes. The switch made work far easier.“Earlier, we used coal, which took at least 30 minutes to heat up. In the afternoon, if I want to take a break, this process has to be repeated. With LPG, it is as easy as heating a dosa tawa,” she said. But now, the very convenience that helped them survive the pandemic is threatening their livelihood.Around Richmond Town, several pressers say their irons may soon go cold if fresh cylinders do not arrive. Satyanarayan P, who has been ironing clothes in the area for nearly 30 years, says the crisis has forced them to think of alternatives. “I know it is expensive, but I’m willing to pay the bills if they can provide us with electric connections. That is the only way to survive now,” he said, adding that he has even sought help from MLA NA Haris to facilitate power connections for roadside ironing stalls.For some families, the situation is already critical. Subramaniam G, 46, and his wife Bhavani G, 38, say the LPG will last barely two more days. “Both of us have been in this profession for the past two decades. We left whatever we had in Andhra and came to Bengaluru in search of a better living. But if this is the case, the only solution is to shut the cart and go back home. We already asked the customers to wait 15-20 days.”With these isthriwalas not taking clothes, customers are worried as Richmond Town is dotted by college students and young professionals for whom pressed clothes make a big difference.
