Patna: Restaurants and hotels across the city are reducing their liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consumption, switching to traditional chulhas (wood-fired stoves), and reviewing menu prices as the sharp increase in commercial LPG rates disrupts daily operations. A commercial LPG cylinder now costs Rs 3,381, while a 5kg cylinder is priced at Rs 928, placing significant financial strain on businesses and small-scale users.
Sharp Decline in Cylinder Sales
Dealers report a notable slowdown in demand for both commercial and 5kg cylinders. A distributor based in Kankarbagh recorded zero sales of 5kg cylinders over the past three days, despite having sold 400 units the previous month. This decline reflects the growing unaffordability for many users.
Restaurant Owners Feel the Pinch
Restaurant owners say the impact is immediate and severe. Vinod Kumar, who operates two outlets on Boring Road, explained the challenges. “Although commercial cylinders are available on paper, they are not freely accessible. In two months, the price has nearly doubled. This is a heavy burden for hotel owners,” he said.
Vinod’s outlets require over 30 commercial cylinders per month and primarily cater to students. “Boring Road is a student area, and 75% of our customers are students. This price hike will affect them the most. Every rupee matters for students, and their monthly budget will be disrupted. We need to increase menu prices by 20% to 25% to cover the rise, but we cannot raise them that much or people will stop buying,” he added.
Adapting with Traditional Methods
To cope, Vinod has shifted part of his cooking to traditional chulhas. “We have become adept at using chulhas. We use them for frying and boiling items that require longer cooking times. We have no alternative but to rely on chulhas. We can increase menu prices by 5% to 10%, but not more. We will have to adopt a dual cooking mode,” he said.
At Patliputra roundabout, Dheeraj Singh noted that the change has added an extra burden of nearly 25%, or about Rs 50,000 per month. “Earlier, we needed two 19kg cylinders daily. Now we use one cylinder a day to extend usage. We are now preparing gravy on coal,” he said, adding that customers will have to share the burden.
Black Market and Government Pricing
Another restaurant owner alleged that commercial cylinders in the black market were available for Rs 3,500 until last month, but now legal prices are around Rs 3,400. “It seems the government saw the maximum amount people were willing to pay and hiked prices accordingly,” he said.
Impact on Small Users and Students
The price surge has also affected smaller users. A student preparing for NEET said, “I will now return home. I won’t have to spend nearly Rs 2,000 per month on 5kg cylinders, which would have been completely unaffordable in the long run.” This highlights the broader social impact as students and low-income households struggle with rising energy costs.
