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The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Orissa (HRAO) on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) urged Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, to take immediate steps to restore and ensure uninterrupted supply of commercial LPG cylinders to hotels and restaurants.
Highlighting the issue of shortage of LPG cylinders affecting the hotel business, HRAO in a statement said the recent stoppage and curtailment of commercial LPG cylinder supply to hotels and restaurants in several metropolitan cities has caused disruption and caused serious operational problems for the hospitality industry.
“Hotels and restaurants are highly dependent on uninterrupted supply of commercial LPG cylinders for their day-to-day kitchen operations. The sudden interruption in supply has severely affected food preparation and service in many establishments,” JK Mohanty, Chairman, HRAO.
Mr. Mohanty stressed, “If the situation continues, it may lead to closure of hotel operations, cancellation of reservations and serious inconvenience to tourists and visitors. Hospitality is a vital component of India’s tourism ecosystem and contributes significantly to employment generation, government revenue and overall tourism-related economic activity.”
“Any disruption to essential services such as LPG supply has a direct impact on the ability of hotels and restaurants to provide quality services to domestic and foreign tourists. This not only affects the reputation of destinations but can also adversely affect the overall tourist experience in the country,” he noted.
“At a time when India is actively promoting tourism through several national initiatives and encouraging global travelers to explore the country’s diverse destinations, such operational disruptions may inadvertently affect the confidence of the tourism and hospitality sector,” Mohanty pointed out.
In addition, the hotel and restaurant industry provides livelihood to thousands of employees and supports a number of associated sectors including food supply chains, transport and local retailers, HRAO said, adding that the current situation therefore has wider economic implications for the entire hospitality ecosystem.
Meanwhile, many hotels in the coastal city of Puri, which receives thousands of tourists from India and abroad, have raised the alarm that they will run out of LPG cylinders in the next few days.
Published – 10 March 2026 23:01 IST
