Middle East conflict: From hotels to hostels, mithai to manufacturing, Mumbaikars agonise over LPG shortage

MUMBAI: The stoppage of commercial gas cylinders in Mumbai has affected hotels, restaurants, religious kitchens, educational institutions, canteens, hostels, midday meal providers, automobile, jewellery manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies and multiple industries.Even domestic cylinders are available after a gap of 25 days. Operations are likely to be severely dented as soon as existing stocks run out.Restaurants have been forced to pare their menu even as they stare at temporary closure. Tawa items, Chinese and dosa counters were the first to shut Tuesday, since these recipes require sustained high flame. Bandra's famous Lucky Restaurant was on its last refill of cylinders Tuesday night. Owner Mohsen Husaini said, "I have run from pillar to post since morning, pleading with gas agencies to provide LPG. I use 8-10 cylinders in a day, upto 12 on the weekend. But no amount of persuasion has worked. There is no supply. I fear the restaurant may not function tomorrow, at best only keep the non-gas items like the tandoor menu. We have scores of regular customers including senior citizens, office goers and travellers. My staff is stressed about their jobs and salaries."An entire selection of Iftar tawa items including kebabs and biryani came under threat. The young owner of a tawa restaurant in Jogeshwari was scrambling to arrange domestic cylinders from friends and family to fill the gap. Over in Kumbharwada, the owner of a popular Chinese joint expressed helplessness too.Hotelier Kamlesh Barot, owner of the Revival chain, Chowpatty, got only two cylinders where he sought four. "South Mumbai mostly depends on LPG. We don't have piped gas here. Some hotel association members have even shut down operations. Some are using electric plates for dosas but have stopped gravies. But my Bengaluru outlet is facing worse scarcity than Mumbai," he said.Mithai manufacturer Vicky Jaisinghani of A1 Sweets Ulhasnagar said the shortage of dry fruit from West Asia followed by the LPG crisis was taking a dual toll of business.Stress was palpable in the voice of Rajamani, owner of the 90-year-old South Indian restaurant chain Mani's. "Our Chembur outlet functions on piped gas but here in Matunga we just have two cylinders left. The Sion outlet is also low on stock. We may wind down our 'dosa patti' first and close the restaurant after two days. We cannot even switch to electricity as time is short. Our regular customers from Five Gardens and Parsi Gymkhana rely on us for daily meals. How will they manage?" Elderly citizens, disabled persons and bachelors who do not cook at home are among those affected.Mumbai Press Club issued a restricted menu comprising non-LPG items like sandwiches and tandoori fare.Gurdwaras affiliated to Sri Guru Singh Sabha, which provide free langar meals on a daily basis, are struggling to arrange cylinders or adopt coal based methods. Sardar Balwinder Singh of Pantnagar Gurdwara, Ghatkopar, said they also house 68 patients suffering from cancer. "We feed their relatives too. How will we function, our gas is nearly over." Dadar Gurdwara's Sardar Kulwant Singh said they have over 260 patients living there. "We are making a representation to the state govt to consider us a special case," he said.Siddhivinayak temple has mostly transitioned to induction based cooking for prasad, said Dy CEO Sandeep Rathod. Only a fraction of items use gas.Iskcon Juhu serves daily prasad to visitors and cooks meals for 150 sevedars in the temple, said spokesperson Parijata Devi.Mumbadevi temple serves khichdi to devotees after Mataji's aarti. Mumbadevi requires six 14 kg domestic cylinders and four 19 kg commercial cylinders every month, said manager Hemant Jadhav.Haji Ali Dargah is currently providing Iftar meals to 2,000 rozedars including fritters, pulao, chicken and mutton, said manager Mohammed Taher, who was anxious about supply. The YWCA women's hostel in Fort uses domestic cylinders to cater to 68 residents, said a staffer. The 25-day gap for each refill will weigh heavily.A few establishments like Lucky Bandra and Ghatkopar gurdwara had applied for piped gas connections years ago but connections are unavailable.