Amid escalating tensions in West Asia and rising global oil prices linked to the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States, several small eateries in Bengaluru limited their services to tea and coffee on Tuesday (March 10, 2026), citing uncertainty over the supply of commercial LPG cylinders.
The Bengaluru Hotels Association had on Monday (March 9, 2026) warned that while the situation appeared manageable for the moment, hotels may be forced to halt food services if the supply of LPG cylinders is not restored. Hoteliers said they had been informed by dealers that commercial cylinders had not been refilled since March 7.
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“We cannot shut our businesses for an entire day. So, we have decided to continue serving tea and coffee until we receive confirmation that the supply has been restored. Usually, we keep two induction stoves as a backup, but, in such a situation, it is very difficult to serve full meals because we use two to three cylinders every day,” said Babu S. of Udupi Aahar at Vasanth Nagar in central Bengaluru.
Another restaurant at Shivaji Nagar had put up a sign during lunch time at 1 p.m. stating that “Only tea and coffee are available”. On any other day, at this time, this restaurant would be packed with customers ordering and eating dosa, rice items, or idli.
Several restaurants informed that they received messages from gas dealers stating that supplies would remain unavailable until further notice, creating panic among hoteliers.
Arun Prasad M. of Anna Mess at Malleswaram said the issue had already been conveyed to the authorities concerned both in the State and in New Delhi. “A solution must be found at the earliest as a large number of people depend on these eateries,” he said.
Piped gas network
However, establishments connected to piped gas networks have not been affected so far. According to the Bengaluru Hotels association, about 10–15% of hotels and restaurants in the city receive piped gas from GAIL (India) Limited and continue to get uninterrupted supply.
Empty commercial LPG cylinders at a godown off Mysuru Road, in Bengaluru on March 10, 2026. The dealer had not received fresh stock for two days, due to the war in West Asia.
| Photo Credit:
K Murali Kumar
Hoteliers also urged the government to take up the issue with the Centre, pointing out that the disruption comes soon after the recent ₹115 hike in the price of commercial LPG cylinders, the second increase in less than a year, which has already added to their financial burden.
Mid-day meals
So far, the supply of meals under Karnataka’s mid-day meal programme has not been affected. Officials said the government of Karnataka provides domestic LPG cylinders for cooking meals under the scheme.
NGOs, including ISKCON and Adamya Chetana, which are involved in preparing mid-day meals, informed that they have been using briquettes instead of LPG for several years. “Therefore, there is no problem in supplying mid-day meals,” they said.
Problem spreading across the State
In Shivamogga, the association of hoteliers is planning to convene a meeting soon to discuss the issue and take an appropriate decision, considering the prevailing situation.
In Shivamogga, hoteliers are experiencing a disruption in supply of commercial has cylinders in view of the war in West Asia.
| Photo Credit:
S.K. Dinesh
“We also facing the heat of shortage in the supply of commercial cylinders,” said P.S. Sudhakar Shetty of Mallige Idli Centre on Balaraj Urs Road in Shivamogga.
“If the price of cylinders goes up, we can somehow manage by increasing the price of food items. But, if the supply of commercial gas is stopped, how can we manage? There is no alternative. We cannot return to firewood-cooking all of a sudden,” he said.
The price of commercial gas cylinders was increased recently.
Sathish Shetty, owner of Machali at Gopala Extension in Shivamogga, reported no shortage at his establishment so far, but expressed uncertainty about the future.
Panic buying of cylinders
In anticipation of a disruption in supply of gas cylinders, many hoteliers in Bengaluru and other cities have got into panic-buying mode, which is further straining supply chains.
A representative of a gas agency in Shivamogga told The Hindu that he had been inundated with calls since March 10 morning. However, he declined to provide details on the surge in demand or any supply shortfall, stating that officials had instructed their dealers not to speak to the media about the unfolding situation.
N. Gopinath, secretary of Shivamogga Hotel Owners’ Association, clarified that the situation in Shivamogga is not yet as critical as in Bengaluru. “At present, operations are running smoothly. But we cannot be certain about supplies in the coming days. The association plans to hold a meeting soon to assess the situation,” he said.
The association has nearly 200 members who operate around 500 establishments comprising hotels, restaurants, and mobile food vending units.
When The Hindu contacted Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner Prabhulinga Kavalikatti, the officer said, “As of now, there is no shortage in supply. The companies have sufficient stock for the next 20 days. We are monitoring the situation closely. As of now, two companies have stopped the supply of commercial cylinders.”
(With inputs from Dhiraj Shetty in Bengaluru)
Published – March 10, 2026 01:17 pm IST
