Commercial LPG shortage impacts food joints in city

Lucknow: Restrictions on commercial LPG supply are disrupting restaurants and street food vendors across the city the most, forcing some to shut and others to switch to coal, firewood, or induction. Many outlets have cut menu items or raised prices as gas supplies remain uncertain.A TOI reality check in Rajajipuram, Hazratganj, Vrindavan colony, Nilmatha-Cantt, Telibagh, Burlington, Phoolbagh and Aminabad found restaurants, eateries and street vendors struggling to keep kitchens running due to irregular commercial gas supply. In Rajajipuram, several small vendors have already closed their stalls. Ayush, who started a joint three months ago, said he had to shut shop as his business depended entirely on LPG. "When cylinders became difficult to arrange and expensive, I could not manage the losses. Without gas, I cannot make burgers or other items," he said.Prakash, who has been operating a momos outlet for 6-7 years, has also stopped operations for now as preparation requires continuous LPG use. Another vendor, Somnath, who sells samosas nearby, has switched to coal and an angeethi to keep his stall running.Restaurants are also struggling to keep kitchens functional. Radhika Halwasiya, owner of a restaurant in Hazratganj, said the kitchen shifted to commercial induction cooktops along with firewood and charcoal.Rishabh Trivedi, a restaurateur in Vrindavan colony, said limited LPG availability forced them to remove several cuisines from the menu and rely on furnaces and cooktops. The owner of a famous tea joint in Hazratganj, Manav Sharma said the outlet is now operating on a furnace.Street vendors are facing similar difficulties. Lucky Ojha, who sells Chinese food in Nilmatha-Cantt, said he managed to procure a cylinder at a higher price and had to raise menu prices. Meanwhile, Gopal, who runs a chole-bhature stall in Vrindavan colony, has shut down after his gas stock finished as he could not afford the higher cost.In Burlington, a biryani outlet owner said they have only 2-3 days of gas left and may have to shut if supplies do not improve. A nearby Chinese eatery has already closed due to the shortage.In Aminabad, a fast food stall and another baati chokha outlet remained closed due to the shortage. Harsh Verma, owner of a restaurant in Rajajipuram, said his outlet had remained closed for nearly 10 days as he was unable to get a cylinder refill.(Inputs from Love Agarwal, Mariyam Shakeel, Shruti Shukla, Amritansh Singh)