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Hotels’ wait for LPG set to prolong
Karnataka hotels may face a 10-day wait for LPG as the state prioritizes supply for hospitals and schools amid shipment delays.
The Karnataka government said on Friday that hotels may have to wait up to 10 days for commercial LPG cylinders as the state diverts its limited supply to hospitals, hostels and residential schools while awaiting fresh shipments.
State food and civil supplies minister KH Muniyappa told the legislative council that the available stock with oil marketing companies was insufficient to meet demand from all sectors, prompting the government to prioritise institutions that rely on LPG to prepare essential meals.
“I personally reviewed the situation for an entire day, and it is extremely difficult to supply commercial cylinders to hotels. Hence, we told the hoteliers to patiently wait for 7 to 10 days and instead use electric stoves to meet their business needs during this period,” Muniyappa told the House.
He said the restricted supply would be directed first to hospitals, hostels, residential schools and certain large manufacturing units where food preparation or production activities could not be interrupted.
According to the minister, delays in LPG shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz have contributed to the shortage. Two tanker ships carrying LPG have already reached India, while about 10 to 12 more vessels remain held up near the strait.
“Two carriers managed to arrive with supplies, while 10 to 12 carriers are currently held up at the Hormuz Strait. It will take considerable time for them to reach our shores. Until then, we have to adjust with whatever supplies we have,” he said.
During the Zero Hour discussion, Congress MLCs Ivan D’Souza and Nagaraj Yadav urged the government to intervene to ensure uninterrupted supply of commercial LPG cylinders to universities, schools and hotels. Some legislators also suggested declaring holidays in institutions affected by the shortage.
Muniyappa said he had already held discussions with representatives of oil marketing companies and that distribution would be streamlined once additional shipments reached Indian ports.
Authorities have also been directed to prevent illegal diversion of LPG cylinders. Deputy commissioners and the director general of police have been instructed to monitor distribution closely and act against black marketing, said the minister.
Legislators also raised concerns about the availability of Auto LPG used by autorickshaws.
Muniyappa said oil companies had been directed to maintain uninterrupted supply at filling stations. “I instructed officials to ensure a steady supply of Auto LPG to autorickshaws and other vehicles at filling stations. There will be no disruption in Auto LPG supply,” he said.
District administrations have also been asked to monitor fuel stations and act against outlets charging more than the government-approved price for Auto LPG. Stations found violating the rules could face seizure following inspections or complaints.
The supply disruption has also sparked tensions between the government and hotel owners. After meeting the minister earlier in the day, representatives of the hospitality sector said the government had declined their request for at least limited cylinder supply.
Joint secretary of the Bangalore Hotels Association SP Krishnaraj criticised the decision after attending the meeting on Friday morning. “We went to the meeting held this morning. But the ministers and officials have washed their hands of the fact that they cannot supply gas to the hotels for the next 10 days; you should make some alternative arrangements. No matter how much we pleaded, they did not consider our request,” he said.
According to Krishnaraj, the government maintained that the available stock must be reserved for domestic supply. “We requested that at least two cylinders be given to each hotel. But they did not agree to that,” he said.
Hotel owners warned that a prolonged disruption could affect not only restaurants but also suppliers of vegetables, milk and groceries that depend on the sector.
The Bangalore Apartments’ Federation (BAF) also issued an advisory on Friday urging residents to avoid panic booking of LPG cylinders and to adopt responsible consumption practices. The federation said apartment communities could help reduce pressure on supplies by partially shifting cooking to electric appliances such as induction cooktops, electric pressure cookers and air fryers where possible. “Using electricity for even 30-40% of cooking activities can significantly reduce LPG consumption across the community,” the advisory said.
