Himachal Pradesh Tourism Braces for Summer Season Amid Severe LPG Shortage
As the summer tourist season approaches in Himachal Pradesh, the hospitality industry is grappling with a severe commercial LPG shortage that has forced hotels, restaurants, and dhabas to adopt expensive and less efficient cooking alternatives. With the peak months of May and June looming, establishments across popular destinations like Manali, Shimla, Kangra, and Kullu are turning to coal, firewood, diesel burners, and induction cooktops to keep their kitchens running.
Hospitality Industry Forced to Adapt as LPG Supply Dwindles
According to hotel and restaurant associations from multiple districts, the commercial LPG supply has been critically impacted over the past month. Gajender Thakur, president of the Federation of Himachal Hotels and Restaurant Association, revealed that most food establishments have either exhausted their LPG stocks or are on the verge of doing so. "Few hoteliers are still using their LPG stocks but most have either run out or are about to. Most hoteliers and dhaba owners have started using alternative methods, mostly coal and diesel burners for cooking food," Thakur stated, adding that others will soon follow suit if the shortage persists.
The crisis extends beyond main cities to tourist hotspots like the Tirthan and Parvati valleys in Kullu. Local hoteliers report having to use firewood stoves or diesel burners, even for large groups. One hotelier from Tirthan valley explained, "Recently, we hosted a big group of school kids from Jaipur and had to use firewood stoves for cooking. But even wood depots have started rationing."
Financial Strain and Operational Challenges Mount
The switch to alternative cooking methods is proving financially burdensome for hospitality businesses. Hoteliers report spending lakhs of rupees on coal and wood, with induction cooking at commercial scale being even more expensive. This has led many establishments to consider passing increased costs to customers through food rate hikes of 20-25%.
Operational efficiency is also suffering. Guddi Devi, who runs a dhaba on the Chandigarh-Manali highway in Mandi district, noted, "The diesel burners and especially coal stoves take comparatively more time to cook, affecting serving time." Similar challenges are reported in Shimla and Dharamshala, where longer cooking times are forcing restaurants to remove items from menus.
Official Response and Industry Concerns
Kullu Food and Civil Supplies Department Controller Shiv Ram acknowledged the commercial LPG shortage, stating that meeting the demand from approximately 4,000 registered hotels in Manali alone has become extremely difficult. "Last week, we managed to send a truckful of 400 cylinders but as you can see it's not sufficient," Ram admitted, noting that domestic LPG supply remains comparatively smoother.
Officials have been holding meetings with hotel associations and suggesting alternatives including kerosene oil. "I guess we all will have to make adjustments as long as the war continues," added Ram, indirectly referencing global supply chain issues affecting fuel availability.
Hot Air Balloon Operations Grounded
The LPG shortage has even impacted tourist attractions, with hot air balloon operations between Kullu and Manali forced to cease operations. Sanjiv Thakur, president of the Hot Air Balloons Association of Manali, revealed that 20 operators have been grounded for almost a month. "For generating 20 rides, a hot air balloon needs over a dozen cylinders. As commercial supply shrunk, we were forced to stop our operation," Thakur explained, noting that many operators facing financial trouble due to loan repayments and staff payments.
Summer Season at Risk
With over 1,000 registered hotels in Jibhi and Tirthan areas of Kullu alone, industry representatives warn that the situation could jeopardize the entire summer tourist season. Hoteliers express particular concern about peak months when tourist numbers traditionally surge. Ashwani Bamba, president of Hotel and Restaurant Association in Dharamshala, noted, "Most hotels and restaurants have not received commercial gas cylinders since March 5. We will start facing problems when tourist season picks up after April 15."
The industry faces a critical period of adaptation as it balances operational viability with maintaining service quality during what should be their most profitable season.
