BENGALURU: The Middle East conflict has had a significant impact on Bengaluru’s hotel industry, with a severe shortage of LPG cylinders. The city’s approximately 35,000 hotels are receiving only 10,000-15,000 cylinders daily, leading to menu cuts and operational challenges.
The shortage has forced some hotels to purchase cylinders at inflated prices (Rs 4,000-5,000 cylinder) in the black market. The cost of firewood has also increased, with prices rising from Rs 3 to Rs 8 per kg, and availability is scarce. Hotel owners are struggling to maintain operations, citing difficulties in sourcing essential resources.
The president of the Bengaluru Hotels Association, Subramanya Holla, has appealed to the government to increase the supply of cylinders, stating that the current allocation is insufficient. The association is urging authorities to address the shortage and provide relief to the hotel industry.
Holla said, “The hotels in Bengaluru are getting about 10,000-15,000 gas cylinder every day which has eased the problem to some extent. There are over 35,000 hotels in Bengaluru and it will help if the supply of gas cylinders is increased. Hotels are managing by cutting down on the menu. Across Karnataka, hotels themselves need about 45,000 cylinders every day. It may take some more time for the situation to ease”.
“There are reports in the media that 60-70 availability has been restored, but we are still buying LPG cylinders from the black market at Rs 3,000-4,000 each. We have not raised prices thinking that the situation may ease in the coming days. The scarcity has been prevailing for more than a month and it’s surprising how the black marketeers are getting the cylinders. We have made arrangements for firewood cooking, but we are not getting adequate firewood. We have cut poori from the menu and regulated timings for dosa”, said Keshava Narayana, owner of Krishna Upahar in Vidyaranyapura.
The situation has led to concerns among hotel owners, who are worried about the sustainability of their businesses. They are hoping for a swift resolution to the conflict to alleviate the crisis.
