Gas crunch fuels induction rush
NEW DELHI: Amid the war in Iran and the crisis in the Middle East, there is a global shortage in the supply of oil and natural gas. India is also grappling with an LPG crisis that has sent prices soaring and sparked panic buying of both gas cylinders and induction cooktops as an alternative.
The demand for electric cooktops is such that quick commerce options have run out of induction hobs in many neighbourhoods across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata. Even brick and mortar stores are facing a shortage of induction cooktops.
The government on Wednesday reassured the public, saying there was no major crisis and domestic production had increased. However, rising gas and fuel prices, and the extended hiatus in refill booking caused anxiety among consumers.
A shortage in LPG cylinders across India has triggered a sharp surge in demand for induction cooktops. Quick commerce platforms and retailers in several neighbourhoods across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru are running out of stock. Retailers report selling 50 to 70 units of induction stoves a day amid panic-buying.
From induction cooktops and microwaves to firewood and solar options, restaurants, street food vendors and catering businesses across the country are scrambling for alternatives as a shortage of commercial LPG cylinders begins to disrupt kitchens amid the widening conflict in West Asia.
With the government prioritising domestic cooking gas supply to households as the war disrupts global fuel lifelines, businesses dependent on commercial LPG -- from small eateries to high-end restaurants -- are watching the situation anxiously, with some even staring at possible closure in the days to come.
In the national Capital Delhi, irregular LPG supply has gripped kitchens across the city and many restaurants are left with stock for a day or two, fearing temporary closure and concerns over staff wages. Industry representatives say many eateries in the capital are trying to manage the situation through adjustments.
The lawyers canteen at the Delhi High Court On Wednesday said it would halt its “main course” menu due to unavailability of cooking gas in its kitchen. However, services resumed shortly after securing LPG supply.
At the famous ‘Chappan Dukan’ street food hub in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, vendors have begun swapping traditional gas burners for electric appliances to keep the city’s food culture alive. The shopkeepers say they will also consider adopting solar-powered appliances if necessary.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has asked catering units in its western zone to switch to microwave ovens and induction plates.
In Uttarakhand, the government has begun preparing to supply firewood to businesses if the shortage deepens, with Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal saying that the current situation resembles a crisis scenario.
Restaurant owners and vendors in places like Puducherry and Rajasthan said their kitchens are under strain as supplies dry up, forcing them to reduce working hours to manage operations.
The disruption in supply has begun to hit businesses across Rajasthan. Restaurant owners said the shortage is already affecting kitchens, while expenses on weddings are also set to increase.
According to the Jaipur Catering Dealers Committee, the city has nearly 6,000 to 7,000 restaurants and dhabas that depend on commercial LPG cylinders.
Additionally, several hostel kitchens, mess facilities and highway eateries also use commercial cylinders for daily cooking. The wedding industry is also worried as the disruption comes during an active wedding season.
Meanwhile, concerns over possible shortages have triggered panic buying and hoarding in some places. In Karnataka’s capital Bengaluru, panic enquiries for domestic LPG cylinders have risen over the last few days, dealers said, adding that stocks are adequate as of now.
In West Bengal, long queues were seen outside gas agency offices and at LPG dispensation centres for auto-rickshaws, most of which run on liquified petroleum gas, in Kolkata and several other cities, including Siliguri and Jalpaiguri.
Authorities have also begun cracking down on hoarding and black-marketing.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi, police arrested seven men after an encounter and recovered more than 500 LPG cylinders stolen during Holi festivities.
The state government has put authorities on alert against rumours and possible black marketing of petrol, diesel and LPG, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directing officials to ensure strict monitoring and action against violators in the state.
Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa also warned LPG dealers against indulging in black marketing or “blackmailing” consumers during the crisis.
Amid the growing concerns, the government and oil companies have sought to reassure the people that domestic LPG cylinders remain secure.
The Indian Oil Corporation, which supplies LPG cylinders to almost 85 per cent of Northeast India, said it has adequate stocks to meet the demands and its nine bottling plants in the region were operating at full capacity.
Opposition leaders sharply criticised the Centre, accusing it of failing to prepare for disruptions in energy supplies. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a discussion in Parliament on the issue.
“The Modi Government’s fake ‘source-based’ assurances expose its utter incompetence. The Union Government prescient about the impending war in West Asia. Yet it did nothing to secure India’s energy supply,” he said in a post on X.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too lashed out at the Centre.
“I am wondering, how much will the people tolerate. In the last 10 years, if you see, prices of all things have gone up, unemployment is rising, now look at the LPG situation,” Gandhi told reporters in the Parliament House complex.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Centre failed to ensure adequate reserves of cooking gas and petroleum products amid a nationwide shortage.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal slammed the Narendra Modi government for the “heavy LPG shortage” affecting people across the country and questioned the prime minister’s “support” for Israel and the US.With Agency Inputs
