20% Mumbai restaurants shut amid LPG shortage; hospitality association warns 50% may close soon

A disruption in commercial LPG supplies is beginning to shut restaurant kitchens across Mumbai, with the city’s hotel and restaurant body warning that the situation could worsen rapidly.

Around 20% of hotels and restaurants in Mumbai have already shut operations, the hospitality association AHAR said on Tuesday, cautioning that nearly 50% of the city’s eateries could close within the next two days if gas deliveries do not resume.

The association said the extent of the shutdown will depend largely on how much LPG stock individual establishments still have available to keep their kitchens running.

Industry warns of deeper shutdown

Hospitality representatives say the crisis is escalating as restaurants struggle to secure commercial LPG cylinders needed for daily cooking operations.

“If the situation continues like this, nearly half of Mumbai’s hotels could shut down in the coming days,” the association said.

However, AHAR clarified that there has been no collective call for hotels to shut down. Each establishment will decide independently whether to continue operations depending on its LPG stock and access to supplies.

Similar disruptions have hit Bengaluru and Chennai as well.

LPG shortage disrupts restaurant kitchens

Commercial LPG cylinders are a critical fuel source for restaurant kitchens across the city, and any disruption in supply can immediately halt food preparation.

Industry members say several restaurants have already begun scaling down operations. Some have reduced menu options while others are limiting service hours as they try to conserve remaining gas supplies.

Over the past two days, reports have emerged that commercial LPG shortages are affecting restaurants across multiple cities, with Mumbai among the worst impacted.

Hospitality bodies say the disruption could eventually affect thousands of eateries if supply issues are not resolved quickly.

Global supply pressures add to the crisis

The LPG shortage comes at a time when global energy markets are already facing pressure due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The geopolitical tensions have disrupted fuel shipments and raised concerns about supply chains.

Authorities have said efforts are underway to stabilise LPG availability. However, industry representatives say restaurants are already facing operational strain as deliveries of commercial cylinders have slowed significantly.