The impact of the Iran-Israel-US conflict has affected major cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Hyderabad. As geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz — a key waterway that transports around 85-90% of India’s LPG imports from West Asia — have disrupted supplies, it has created a sense of fear and anxiety among Indians. Several videos surfaced showing long queues outside LPG agencies, while another showed people with massive glasses standing at petrol pumps.
The hospitality sector is among the worst affected – canteens, hotels and restaurants are forced to limit their menu options and come up with contingency plans. As uncertainty surrounding LPG spreads, people have flocked to social media to share memes regarding the situation.
Here’s how people reacted on social media:
Several have suggested that getting married during this time is the perfect excuse to avoid a big and expensive wedding. User wrote:
“If you are planning to get married, then this is the best time. Invite 25 people and tell everyone that no caterers are accepting food orders due to lack of LPG.”
Save money and travel internationally later. Make the best of this situation.”
Another wrote: “#LPGshortage has become a meme in India. Hilarious representation of #Lpgcrisis #Lpg.” A third user said: “Perfect time to avoid the big wedding guest list.”
Impact of LPG shortage: What are households, small businesses doing?
Both domestic and commercial LPG cylinders in India have become more expensive due to supply disruption. The revision affected households and businesses that rely on gas for cooking in their day-to-day operations.
Raj Kumar, executive chef at Devi Nashta Point, claimed that pressure cylinders are not available even for ₹3000-4000 each. To deal with the crisis, tiffin centers in Hyderabad have turned to electric stoves, ANI said.
In major cities, commercial and small businesses have turned to electric stoves and induction cooktops as LPG shortages continue to disrupt supplies.
In Gujarat’s Surat, traders have witnessed record demand for electric stoves in the last two to three days. They told ANI that as orders continue to pile up, demand is outstripping supply. “There is a severe shortage of stock… once the stock arrives, we will sell it to the customers. We are selling at normal prices. Now we have only one or two pieces; the shortage is still there,” local trader Lakshman Singh told ANI.
In Bengaluru, the Bangalore Hotels Association informed members that cylinder gas supply has been stopped from today due to diversion to essential services (hospitals, schools, senior citizens) and “immediate action is expected from Union Ministers to restore commercial gas supply”.
RK Gupta, national vice-president of the LPG Association in Bhopal, confirmed that they have not received LPG cylinders (except for hospitals and educational institutions). “Further reservation will be allowed after a 25-day period between reservations to avoid accumulation and there is no shortage as claimed by the oil companies,” he told a news agency.
