Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 10: Hotels across Bengaluru face the threat of shutdown from Tuesday, March 10, after the supply of commercial LPG cylinders was abruptly stopped, the Bangalore Hotels Association warned, saying the disruption could affect thousands of people who depend on hotels for their daily meals.
The association said commercial gas cylinders are not being supplied on time and that supply for commercial use has been halted from Monday, March 9, without prior warning, triggering concern across the hospitality sector.
Honorary president of the association, P C Rao, said the hotel industry would face serious difficulties if the situation continues. “Commercial cylinders are not being received on time. From today, the supply of gas cylinders for commercial use has been stopped,” he said.
The association noted that the hotel industry is classified as an essential service and supports a large section of the population.
“Since the hotel industry comes under essential services, common people, senior citizens, students and many others working in medical and other sectors who depend on hotels for their daily meals will face difficulties,” the association said.
It added that the disruption would severely affect hotel businesses that rely on uninterrupted cooking operations. “In addition, our hotel industry will also have to face difficulties until the gas supply returns to normal,” the notice stated.
The association warned that if the supply is not restored immediately, hotels across the city may be forced to shut from March 10. “Hotels will be closed from March 10 due to the gas supply being cut off,” it said.
The disruption comes amid volatility in global energy markets caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia involving the US, Israel and Iran. The crisis has disrupted oil and gas supply routes and pushed global energy prices above $100 per barrel, raising concerns about the availability of LPG and other fuels in several countries, including India.
India depends heavily on LPG imports, with most shipments coming from Gulf countries and passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route. Any disruption in this region can affect both supply and prices in the domestic market.
According to the association, oil companies had earlier indicated that there would be no disruption in LPG supply for up to 70 days, making the sudden stoppage a shock to the hospitality industry.
“Oil companies had said there would be no disruption in gas supply for 70 days. However, the sudden stoppage of supply is a big blow to the hotel industry,” the association said.
The body has urged the Union government to intervene immediately and restore commercial gas supplies.
“Therefore, we expect the concerned union ministers to take immediate action in this regard and resume commercial gas supply and provide support to the hotel industry,” it added.