LPG cylinder shortage: Only rajma, kadhi and dal at many Delhi stalls and dhabas

NEW DELHI: Customers who once struggled to go through long menus at Delhi's eateries now are left with few options — mostly rajma chawal, kadhi chawal and dal — as the commercial LPG cylinder shortage has forced many outlets to drastically slash their offerings.Many vendors, including decades-old dhaba owners and those running their businesses from small carts, told TOI on Friday that if the situation continued for more than a few days, they would have no option but to temporarily shut shop. Many employees who depend on these outlets for their livelihood were likely to be affected, the vendors warned. However, most larger outlets and establishments connected to PNG pipelines are not facing the same level of difficulty, while small eateries that depend entirely on LPG are bearing the brunt. Manoj Sharma, a vendor near Connaught Place, who sells tea, samosas and Maggi but is now offering only tea, said small food businesses that rely entirely on cylinders are struggling to keep their kitchens running. "We are somehow managing with a limited number of cylinders, but if the supply does not improve soon, it will become very difficult to continue," he said.Owners at several dhabas in the crowded lanes of Sadar Bazar say they have been compelled to knock off most items from their menus. Meals that once ranged from rich curries in elaborate thalis to an array of snacks have now been reduced to a few basic staples. "Out of 10 people who walk in, at least seven now leave after hearing that we are serving only rajma or dal," one of them said, explaining how the number of customers have dropped sharply.Anil Mehta, a 65-year-old dhaba owner who has been in the business since 1984, said, "Earlier, our menu had items like shahi paneer and chhole bhature. But now we are serving only kadhi chawal and rajma chawal," he said, adding, "Since Wednesday, we are left with very few cylinders. We are trying to manage the situation as best as we can."Similarly, Bal Kishan Gupta, 41, who runs a small eatery in the Kotla market area, said the crisis has resulted in him discontinuing most of the 40-odd items popular among regular customers. "We are now preparing only one dish — dal," Gupta said. "We have one cylinder left and there is no way to arrange another. We are not getting one even in the black market."However, Gupta says he cannot shut shop completely because his 10 employees also depend on this food. "We cook one item, which we eat ourselves and serve to customers as well, but most of them walk out after hearing that there is only dal on the menu."Many small eateries in Old Delhi are facing similar problems. Ajay Shukla, 41, who runs a dhaba in near Paharganj that serves North Indian vegetarian thalis, said he did not initially realise the crisis would hit everyone so hard. "I booked a gas cylinder for my home as well, but it has not been delivered for three days," he said. "Govt is saying households will be given priority, but even that is not happening. We will be able to manage for barely five more days." At a small cart on Vishnu Digambar Marg near ITO, which sells snacks like moong dal pizza and Maggi, apart from tea, 19-year-old Daksh Manchanda said his family is already exploring alternatives. "If the shortage of gas continues, we may switch to electric induction or some other medium to keep the business running."However, other vendors say this is not a feasible option during peak hours due to time constraint. "Cooking large batches of food for hundreds of customers on induction stoves takes too much time," one of them said, adding some may temporarily explore options like coal or wood. However, installing large traditional chulhas in crowded markets will be difficult due to space constraints and safety concerns, a vendor said.