Commercial LPG supply disruption worries Gurugram restaurants

Eateries say vendors halted deliveries of 19-kg commercial cylinders, forcing kitchens to rely on short backup stocks and explore electric cooking options.

Several restaurants across Gurugram have reported disruption in the supply of commercial LPG cylinders used for cooking, forcing eateries to rely on limited backup stock and consider alternatives such as domestic cylinders or electric cooking equipment if the situation persists.

Restaurant managers say distributors stopped routine deliveries after policy confusion; many kitchens have only two to three days of backup cylinders left. (HT)

Restaurant managers said their LPG vendors informed them that deliveries of 19-kg commercial cylinders have temporarily stopped due to confusion and restrictions in supply chains following a central directive prioritising domestic LPG consumers amid global energy disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict.

According to industry sources, the government recently asked oil refiners to maximise LPG production and prioritise household consumption to prevent shortages, which has triggered confusion among distributors and slowed supplies to commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants.

Most restaurants maintain limited backup cylinders that typically last two to three days, after which operations could be affected if deliveries do not resume. Rohit Arora, manager of a restaurant in Sector 29, said his establishment currently has enough stock for a few days. “Our vendor informed us that commercial LPG deliveries have been paused temporarily. We have backup cylinders that can last about three days. If the situation continues, we may have to shift to residential cylinders or reduce menu items,” he said.

Neha Bansal, operations manager of a fine-dining restaurant on Golf Course Road, said uncertainty around supply has created operational challenges. “We were expecting our routine delivery this week, but the distributor refused to supply commercial cylinders, citing supply constraints. We still have some stock left, but if deliveries don’t resume soon, we may shift part of the kitchen to electric equipment,” she said.

Restaurants along Golf Course Extension Road are also monitoring the situation closely. “We usually maintain two to three days of LPG backup, but commercial kitchens run entirely on these cylinders. If the disruption continues, it will affect daily operations and costs,” said Sandeep Malik, manager of a multi-cuisine restaurant in the area.

Eateries on Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) said they are preparing contingency plans. “Our vendor told us that the supply chain is currently disrupted, and they cannot confirm the next delivery date. For now, we are managing with stored cylinders, but the next step will be to use domestic cylinders or temporarily switch to induction and electric cooking,” said restaurant manager Ajay Verma.

Pushpender Yadav, director of Quaff Microbrewery, Cyber Hub, said the disruption came as a surprise. “This came as quite a shocker for our business; I never imagined the effect of this war could reach us. We hope it gets sorted soon,” he said.

Industry bodies across India have warned that prolonged disruption in commercial LPG supply could severely affect restaurant operations, as most kitchens depend heavily on the fuel for daily cooking. Restaurant owners in Gurugram said they hope the issue will be resolved within a few days before their backup supplies run out.