commercial LPG supply disrupted in udupi

Hotels across Udupi district are facing operational difficulties following a sudden disruption in the supply of commercial LPG cylinders, prompting hotel owners to warn of a possible shutdown if supplies are not restored soon.

The issue was discussed at a meeting of the Udupi District Hotel Owners’ Association held in the city on Friday. Members said distributors had stopped receiving commercial LPG cylinders since last Saturday, creating uncertainty for the hospitality sector. Hotel owners said the shortage was already affecting daily operations and that continuing services without adequate LPG supply would be extremely challenging.

Many hoteliers pointed out that shifting to firewood-based cooking is not a viable option in modern commercial kitchens. They also feared that staff members might leave their jobs as they are not accustomed to cooking with firewood.

Dinesh Puthran, owner of Puthran Gas distribution agency, said the situation worsened due to panic booking by domestic LPG users which caused technical issues in the booking system. At the same time, commercial cylinder supply had come to a standstill.

Vittal Pai, who runs Diana Hotel in Udupi, said hotels typically maintain a rotating stock of LPG cylinders to ensure uninterrupted cooking. However, with no fresh supply arriving, many establishments may soon run out of fuel.

Some restaurants have already begun reducing their menus. Madhavendra Prabhu, a hotelier from Manipal, said dishes such as dosa varieties had been temporarily removed because they require continuous LPG usage.

The meeting also discussed a proposal to set up a temporary central kitchen on government land where food could be prepared in bulk and distributed to different hotels. The suggestion received mixed responses from members.

According to distributors, the district administration has assured that a limited quantity of commercial cylinders, around 25 per cent of normal supply, would be made available shortly.

Udupi-Chikkamagalur MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, who visited the meeting venue, told hoteliers that the supply disruption was temporary and expected to be resolved within a week.