Commercial LPG shortage disrupts Hyderabad hotels

Hyderabad: A commercial LPG shortage has begun to disrupt hotel operations in Hyderabad, forcing several restaurants and tiffin centres to switch from gas to electric stoves and even wood-fired cooking.

Hotel operators said the supply of commercial cylinders had dropped sharply in recent days. At the same time, black market prices increased significantly, creating additional pressure on small food businesses across the city.

Many tiffin centres and roadside eateries have already shifted to electric cooking equipment. However, demand for electric stoves has also surged in the market due to the ongoing commercial LPG shortage.

Rajkumar, a hotel worker, told ANI that the situation had become difficult for small establishments. “Earlier we purchased a commercial cylinder for ₹1,800 to ₹1,900. Now even at ₹3,000 to ₹4,000, cylinders are not available,” he said. As a result, many hotels have started using electric stoves to continue their operations.

The shortage has not only affected small eateries. Several star hotels in areas such as Hitec City and Cyberabad have also reported supply problems. Hotel managers said their existing stocks would last only one or two days.

Commercial LPG shortage forces hotels to change menus

In response to the crisis, some hotels have modified their menus to reduce gas consumption. Dishes that require high gas usage, including grilled chicken, mutton preparations and kebabs, were temporarily removed from several menus.

Meanwhile, a well-known hotel in Lakdikapul reportedly cooked biryani on a wood-fired stove on Wednesday afternoon due to lack of gas supply. Paradise Food Court also confirmed that it had started using electric cooking systems in locations facing shortages.

The problem is not limited to Hyderabad. In Warangal and Hanamkonda districts, the supply of commercial cylinders reportedly stopped for the past three days. Due to the shortage, some hotel operators were allegedly buying domestic cylinders illegally by paying an extra ₹500.

Similar conditions have emerged in parts of Andhra Pradesh. Resorts and hotels in coastal areas such as Bapatla and Chirala also reported difficulty in obtaining commercial cylinders.

Gas agency representatives said they had controlled supply because of limited availability. Warangal HP Gas manager Ramakrishna Raju said hospitals, hostels and educational institutions were currently receiving priority over hotels. However, he clarified that domestic LPG supply for households remained unaffected.