Shortage of commercial LPG in UP due to Middle East war, hotels and restaurants on the verge of closure, what are shopkeepers saying?

LPG Crisis: Due to the ongoing tension in West Asia, the supply of LPG and fuel is being affected. In view of this situation, the Central Government has taken a big step. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued the Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026. Under this order, production, supply and distribution of gas will be controlled, so that availability of gas in essential areas can be ensured.

Meanwhile, due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the possibility of disruption in the supply of commercial LPG cylinders in Uttar Pradesh has increased. In such a situation, many hotels and restaurants in the state may face closure.

What are the hotel owners saying?

A restaurant owner from Lucknow said that if the supply is not restored soon, it is difficult to predict what the situation will be like in the next two-three days. He said that a restaurant usually uses two to three LPG cylinders daily and the demand increases further during the festive season. If the situation remains like this then some people may try to use diesel or coal to run their kitchen, but it is not possible to cook every type of food in this manner. He said that LPG cylinders are very important for the restaurant business.

At the same time, hotel owners of Varanasi say that they have limited quantity of commercial LPG cylinders, which can get exhausted in a few days. He says that if new cylinders are not supplied, restaurant owners will have to suffer huge losses and some may even have to close their business temporarily.

Why is there a shortage?

In fact, most of the demand for LPG in India is met through imports and more than 80 percent of this import comes through the Strait of Hormuz. There are reports of movement of ships being affected due to increasing tensions between Iran, America and Israel in the region, which may affect supplies.

According to an LPG distributor from Lucknow, the biggest concern is the uncertainty over changes in supply. He says that the real problem will arise when the existing stock runs out, as it has not yet been clarified by the authorities as to when the situation will become normal. Some distributors also believe that stockpiling of cylinders by big traders fearing a possible shortage could also increase the crisis.

Shortage of commercial LPG cylinders

DP Singh, former president of Uttar Pradesh LPG Distributors Association, said that the real concern at the moment is for commercial users. According to him, distributors are providing cylinders to registered customers from their limited stock, but 19 kg commercial LPG cylinders are currently not available to the distributors, which may cause problems to the businesses that depend on them. He informed that the supply of gas cylinders to hospitals and other essential institutions is being continued on priority basis.

Also read- Modi government took a big step amid LPG shortage, implemented ESMA in the country, know what this law says

On Monday, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas also said that domestic LPG supply to households has been given priority. Under the new order, gas supply to domestic PNG, CNG, fertilizer industry and other essential sectors will be ensured first.