Supply returns, relief doesn’t: Residents bear costs of crisis

Bhopal: As LPG bookings ease and delivery of cylinders resumes, the system seems to be recovering on paper. But on the ground, there's little to no relief for residents.Across Bhopal, street food prices have climbed in the wake of the LPG disruption -- and stayed there. From MP Nagar to Shahpura and 10 No. Market, a Rs 15 chai is now of Rs 20. A plate of poha costs Rs 5-10 more. There are no explanations offered, no timelines promised — just a new price that customers are expected to accept. "The costs of the crisis seems selective," says Rajesh Tiwari, an office-goer. "If supply is getting better, why are only we still paying more? Why is the common customer always the adjustment point?" There are no easy answers -- and no real checks. Street food pricing operates without regulation in an unorganised sector that lacks security and safeguards. "You can't argue at every stall," says Neha Verma, a corporate employee."You either pay or skip a meal. But when it keeps happening every day, this is affecting my budget. This isn't temporary anymore." The hikes began when bookings stalled, calls went unanswered and cylinder deliveries slowed, pushing small vendors into a crisis. "Prices go up very fast in this country, but they almost never come down," says Riddhi Sharma, a college student, adding, "The situation is improving, but the cost is just being pushed onto us." What sharpens the frustration is the uneven impact. While roadside stalls have raised prices almost across the board, larger restaurants and hotels have largely kept their menus unchanged, absorbing the disruption without visibly passing it on.