BMC canteen struggles with gas shortage amid LPG crisis; switches to sandwiches and dry snacks

Canteen staff prepare snacks that don’t require frying at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters on Wednesday. PICS/ASHISH RAJE

The shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG ) has affected the BMC canteen, with enough fuel left to cook only one meal - Thursday's lunch. On Wednesday, due to this shortage, the BMC served only dry meals, which do not require cooking, such as sandwiches, in the second half of the day.

Usual items like wadas and cutlets were taken off the menu. "We have only enough gas for Thursday's lunch. We also have induction cookers, so we are trying to prepare items like idlis on them," a member of the canteen's management staff said on Wednesday afternoon.

The canteen serve?

After warning that they would have to shut down over cylinder shortage, Sadguru Cafe, Sandhurst Road, was forced to put up this notice on Thursday. PIC/ASHISH RAJE

The canteen staff is contracted by the BMC, and they operate from the first floor of the new building of the BMC headquarters. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are served in the canteen for civic staff and visitors at subsidised rates.

Official's comment

Police canteen in Killa Court premises shut (above, left) over gas cylinder shortage so cops headed to BMC canteen at CSMT for a bite. PICS/ASHISH RAJE

‘Canteen contractors are facing a fuel shortage. We have written to HPCL [Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited] and BPCL [Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited] to provide cylinders so that canteen services can continue' A senior civic official