PUNE: All-time (South Indian) favourites such as dosa and uttapam may soon disappear from restaurant menus in Pune even as hotels and eateries struggle with a shortage of commercial LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia; industry representatives said on Tuesday, warning that the situation may worsen if supplies are not restored soon. Indeed, many establishments in the city currently have only two to three days’ worth of LPG stock left, raising fears that several restaurants may have to suspend operations once their reserves are exhausted.
Ganesh Shetty, president, Pune Hoteliers Association, said, “Dosa and uttapam require relatively higher gas consumption compared to many other dishes. If the supply of commercial LPG is not restored quickly, such items may have to be removed from menus. Restaurants may be forced to limit their offerings to dishes that can be prepared with the available fuel.”
Ajinkya Udane, spokesperson for the National Restaurants Association of India, said, “South Indian dishes along with gravies will be the first casualty as they require constant heat. We have urged the government not to completely stop the supply but to resort to some sort of rationing.”
According to Shetty, the hospitality industry has been caught off guard by the disruption in supply. He said that restaurants were not given any advance indication about the shortage or when normal supply would resume.
“There has been no clarity about when the situation will stabilise. For the food industry, sudden interruptions like this can severely affect day-to-day operations,” Shetty said.
Industry representatives estimate that around 85% of restaurants and hotels in Pune rely on commercial LPG to run their kitchens. With uncertainty around fresh supplies, restaurant owners fear that the crisis may soon impact business across the city.
Shetty pointed out that a similar situation has already affected eateries in Bengaluru, where some establishments reportedly had to temporarily shut down due to fuel shortages.
Shetty, too, has urged the authorities to consider regulated or rationed supply of commercial LPG so that restaurants can continue limited operations until such time the situation improves.
Shetty said, “We can reduce the menu and manage with smaller quantities of gas, but at least some supply must continue. Switching to induction cooking cannot happen overnight, and using firewood is not practical.”
If the supply situation does not improve soon, diners in Pune may begin to see shorter menus or temporarily closed restaurants in the coming days, industry representatives said.