Mumbai restaurants battle rising fuel costs amid patchy LPG supply

Alternate cooking arrangements were made at the Mahim restaurant

With commercial LPG supplies drying up, many restaurants have shifted to charcoal and firewood as a stopgap. But hoteliers say the switch is costly, inefficient and unsustainable. Barely two weeks in, input costs have already surged. With no clarity on supply, rising fuel prices and expenses piling up, operators say they are now fighting to stay afloat.

What hoteliers say

Santosh Balgi, partner, Saibeni Gomantak, Mahim
‘We've shifted to firewood and charcoal just to survive, but it's not sustainable. We're told we can get up to 50 per cent of our usual LPG, but dealers say they have no such directive. I'm eligible for 15 cylinders a month, and we're not getting even one'

Shailesh Sheth, a hotelier
‘Dealers keep giving dates but don't deliver. We can't sit idle. My fixed costs are over Rs 12,000 a day across three hotels. Either we keep going on charcoal and firewood, or shut shop and not recover.'

Why alternatives aren't working

Malvan Cha Kinara in Worli uses firewood to cook. Pic/Ashish Raje

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Fuel costs spike

Rs 25-35 - Rs 45-50
Charcoal

Rs 3-6 - Rs 10-15
Firewood

Firewood up
3x+

Charcoal up
~1.5x