Hotels in Bengaluru are facing a severe LPG shortage, forcing many to switch to firewood stoves. Commercial cylinders are reportedly selling for over ₹4,000 on the black market, creating operational challenges for kitchens and staff.
The hotel and restaurant industry in Bengaluru is currently grappling with a severe crisis due to an acute shortage of commercial LPG cylinders. The situation has escalated to the point where many establishments are unable to operate normally, forcing them to either reduce services or seek costly alternatives. With supply disrupted, commercial LPG cylinders are reportedly being sold in the black market for more than ₹4,000, placing an enormous financial burden on hotel owners and small eateries across the city.
Hotels Forced To Switch To Firewood Stoves
Unable to afford the exorbitant black market prices for LPG cylinders, several hotel owners have begun using traditional firewood stoves as a temporary alternative. However, this shift has brought its own set of challenges.
Kitchen staff who have long been accustomed to cooking on gas stoves are finding it difficult to adapt to firewood-based cooking methods. Managing the fire, maintaining consistent heat, and handling smoke have become significant hurdles in daily operations.
Kitchens Not Designed For Firewood Cooking
Only hotels with some extra open space are able to experiment with this temporary solution. Most modern hotel kitchens in Bengaluru are designed exclusively for LPG-based cooking systems and lack the infrastructure required for firewood stoves.
As a result, many kitchens do not have appropriate chimneys or ventilation systems to release smoke generated by burning wood. This has created suffocating and smoke-filled working conditions for kitchen staff.
Smoke-Filled Kitchen Struggles In West Bengaluru
On Friday, a hotel in West Bengaluru was forced to light a firewood stove after failing to procure a commercial LPG cylinder at a reasonable price. The entire kitchen reportedly filled with smoke, making it extremely difficult for cooks to prepare food.
Expressing his frustration, the hotel owner said, “We have been using gas for many years and have no experience cooking with firewood stoves. It is becoming very difficult for our staff to manage this temporary setup. Lighting and maintaining the fire takes time, and food preparation has also become much slower. The smoke is another major problem because our kitchen does not have proper ventilation for it.”
Staff Face Heat, Smoke And Longer Cooking Times
A member of the kitchen staff highlighted the harsh working conditions inside the kitchen.
“You cannot stand near the stove for too long because of the smoke. The heat from the firewood stove is extremely high, and the summer weather is making it even worse. Compared to gas stoves, cooking on firewood takes much longer,” the staff member said.
Commercial LPG Cylinders Selling For ₹4,000 In Black Market
According to hotel staff, commercial LPG cylinders are currently being sold in the black market for ₹4,000 or even more. For most hotels, LPG cylinders are essential for daily operations.
Only smaller eateries or establishments with open spaces are able to temporarily switch to firewood cooking.
“When we enquired about getting a cylinder just to run the hotel for a day or two, we were quoted a price of ₹4,000,” a hotel employee said.
Hotel Owners Hope Supply Will Normalise Soon
P. C. Rao, Honorary President of the Hotel Owners’ Association, acknowledged the seriousness of the crisis affecting hotels across the city.
“The cylinder shortage is a severe problem for all kinds of hotels. I read in the media that fuel tankers have arrived in India, so we are hopeful that the situation will improve in the next couple of days and LPG cylinders will become available again,” Rao said.