Indore’s street food hubs to keep the ball rolling sans price hike

Indore: Vendors at Indore's famed street food hubs have assured residents that the ongoing LPG shortage will not lead to any increase in food prices. Traders at both Sarafa Bazaar night food market and Chhappan Dukan said they are turning to alternative fuel sources to keep production steady and avoid passing the burden on to customers.At Sarafa Bazaar Chowpatty, association members said vendors already began adjusting their cooking arrangements to manage the situation. Many stalls shifted to induction cooktops, while others are exploring electric bhattis and similar options to ensure food preparation continues without disruption."We will not raise the prices of any of the food items. This is the time to focus on production and look for alternative sources of fuel. Customers should rest assured that their favourite food items will remain at the same price. Most of the vendors at Sarafa Bazaar Chowpatty used induction cooktops. The vendors who need more fuel will shift to electric bhattis or other alternatives," said Sarafa Chowpatty Association president Ram Gupta.The association said vendors planned a gradual shift away from LPG cylinders since the market reopened and several newer, non-traditional stalls were removed, a move also guided by safety concerns.A similar stance was echoed by traders at Chhappan Dukan, another major food destination that attracts thousands of visitors daily."This is not the time to think about a price hike; we are focused on keeping production stable rather than a price hike. We are focused on serving the people with whatever alternative sources of fuel we can. Even if this crisis lasts a little longer, we might shift to solar or other diesel or electric bhattis. Still, we will not increase the prices," said Chappan Dukan Association president Gunjan Sharma. Some shops in the area said production of food items remained unaffected as they rely on piped natural gas."As of now, we are not experiencing many issues with the LPG shortage, as we have PNG. We are looking for solutions rather than increasing the cost of products," said Pankaj Sharma, who runs a popular namkeen and snack shop at Chhappan Dukan.