A worsening LPG shortage in the national capital has forced dozens of street vendors and small eateries to shut temporarily, pushed food prices up, and left customers and proprietors scrambling for alternatives after supply lines were disrupted when Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz amid its conflict with the US and Israel. Vendors say commercial cylinders have run out in many parts of Delhi, even as the government says commercial supply has resumed.
Roshan Yadav, who runs a litti chokha stall in Mayur Vihar, said he closed his shop on March 10 because he could not get LPG. “When I tried to buy gas on the black market, it was being sold at Rs 600 per kg. My earnings don’t even cover such high costs, how can I continue working like this?” he said. He added that he briefly reopened after buying gas at Rs 400 per kg and raised his prices by Rs 10, but customers were reluctant to pay more.
Longstanding vendors report similar distress. Ashu, who has run a samosa, kachori and tea stall near Shastri Bhavan for nearly 40 years, said commercial LPG cylinders were unavailable and he had been forced to use domestic cylinders to keep trading. “This is our last cylinder. If we don’t get more, we’ll have no option but to shut down,” he said, adding that sales have fallen even where merchants remain open.
Officials note the pressure on supplies stems from India’s import dependence: roughly 62% of the country’s LPG is imported, and about 90% of that typically transits the Strait of Hormuz. The Petroleum Ministry’s Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma said domestic LPG production has been increased by 38% and authorities have assured the public that domestic supply will continue.
Still, demand has surged. Daily bookings have climbed from about 70 lakh cylinders to 89 lakh in recent days, while available supply is estimated at 50–60 lakh cylinders a day. Two recent LPG shipments carrying 92,700 metric tonnes have reached India, but that meets roughly one day’s requirement; six Indian LPG vessels carrying about 300,000 metric tonnes remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, sufficient for only about 3.5–4 days.
The shortage is already contributing to inflation at the street level. A LocalCircles survey of 38,000 respondents found one in two customers has noticed price hikes at vendors and restaurants; street food prices rose 10–25% in the past week and some restaurants raised prices by up to 25%. Around 57% of respondents reported higher bills when ordering food or dining out, and 54% noticed increased costs at street stalls.
With no immediate resolution visible, vendors face an uncertain stretch ahead: many await promised commercial supplies while some consider switching to alternate fuels or pausing operations entirely, a shift that would further strain low-income households and the informal food sector.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ground-report-amid-commercial-gas-concerns-some-eateries-shut-food-costs-more-11229796#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-03-17 22:54:00
