Vadodara's Street Food Scene Choked by Severe Cooking Gas Shortage
A growing shortage of cooking gas is severely impacting Vadodara's bustling street food culture, forcing numerous vendors to shut down their stalls or turn to makeshift alternatives like firewood to keep their businesses running. This crisis is making everyday staples such as a quick cup of steaming tea or a plate of spicy roadside noodles increasingly difficult for residents to find.
Vendors Struggle as LPG Supplies Dwindle
Over the past several days, many roadside food stalls have been compelled to close, while others are fighting to remain operational amid rapidly depleting LPG supplies. For countless vendors who depend on quick and affordable cooking methods, this disruption has directly threatened their daily livelihoods and income streams.
"It has been almost five days since my gas cylinder ran out completely," explained Hitesh Mali, who operates an egg stall on Old Padra Road. "I had no choice but to arrange firewood and set up a basic furnace near my stall. We are simply not receiving new cylinders, and the overall situation is becoming more challenging by the day." He noted that at least two other vendors operating in his vicinity have already been forced to shut down permanently due to the scarcity.
Supply Disruption Linked to Broader Tensions
Street food vendors in Vadodara heavily rely on LPG cylinders because they are economical and enable faster cooking times. However, the ongoing supply disruption—reportedly connected to geopolitical tensions in West Asia—has left them in an extremely difficult position with no clear timeline for when normal supplies might resume.
"The cylinders we currently have are running out much too quickly, and we may soon have to reduce our working hours significantly," said Vaibhav Kharchikar, who runs a South Indian food stall in the Manjalpur area. "Even if we were willing to pay a premium price, new cylinders are simply not available. One cylinder typically lasts eight to ten days under normal conditions, and we never anticipated facing such an acute shortage."
Limited Alternatives and Visible Impact Across the City
Some vendors have attempted to adapt by switching to electric plates, but this alternative has severely limited their menu options and cooking capabilities. The impact of the gas shortage is already visibly spreading across Vadodara, affecting popular food outlets and daily operations.
"My current cylinder will only last for two more days at most," shared Vishnu Parte, who operates a tea stall near the Fine Arts faculty of MSU. "After that, I may have to shut down temporarily or resort to using firewood. We survive entirely on daily income—if we cannot work, we do not earn anything at all."
Well-known outlets like Vijay Chinese in the Diwalipura area have remained closed for over a week. Owner Manoj Soni highlighted that high-flame cooking essential for preparing Chinese cuisine is nearly impossible with alternatives like firewood or coal. "There are other options such as diesel stoves, but making a heavy investment in them without any certainty about the future is far too risky," he explained.
Jayesh Parmar, who runs a tea stall near Sayajibaug, reported that he too had to close his stall for several days directly due to the shortage of gas cylinders, underscoring the widespread nature of this crisis.
The situation continues to evolve, with vendors anxiously awaiting a resolution to the supply issues that are choking Vadodara's beloved street food ecosystem and threatening the economic stability of many small business owners.
