People wait outside a gas agency to get LPG cylinders in Vijayawada on Saturday. | Photo credit: GN Rao
Bachelors and students preparing for entrance exams are the immediate victims of the shortage of cooking gas, triggered by the closure of many hostels and small and medium-sized hotels in the city. Due to the non-availability of commercial LPG refills, several hostels and restaurants have closed down over the past week.
More than 12,000 bachelors employed in banks, government offices and shopping malls are facing severe hardship due to lack of food. More than 3,000 students preparing for competitive exams have also been affected as hostels and hotels struggle with gas shortages.
Several students in Vizianagaram were forced to return to their native places. “Recently, the government has issued a notification to fill nearly 10,000 posts. We came to Vizianagaram for preparation as there are many coaching centers available. But lack of food forced us to return to our native place, Salur in Parvatipuram Manyam district. Now we have to attend online courses from our native place,” said student K. Muralidhar. Some bachelors and students have rented houses and use electric stoves and other appliances to cook food.
Oil companies have severely curtailed supplies of commercial LPG cartridges, although domestic LPG supplies continue without major disruption. A commercial LPG cylinder weighing 19 kg, normally priced at ₹ 1,900, now sells for ₹ 5,000 to ₹ 6,000 in the black market. While big restaurants continue to operate despite the sharp rise in prices, small hotels and hostels unable to bear the additional costs have closed temporarily, a member of the Andhra Pradesh State Hotels Association said.
The association urged the government to improve LPG supply to hotels that provide livelihood to many directly and indirectly. “The Union government has announced a 20% increase in commercial gas supply to hotels, but it is not being implemented in practice,” the representatives said.
Meanwhile, District Collector S. Ramsundar Reddy and Joint Collector Sedhu Madhavan have directed the Civil Supplies Department to take strict action against black marketing of LPG cartridges. Officials recently seized 55 domestic pressure cylinders illegally used in hotels. The ministry said it would strengthen checks in hostels and crack down on the misuse of domestic pressure cylinders in commercial establishments.
Published – 28 March 2026 18:28 IST
