SP legislator Abu Azmi has flagged growing panic among Mumbai hoteliers over a shortage of commercial LPG cylinders. Restaurateurs say they are struggling to procure supplies and fear business disruptions or temporary shutdowns if the shortage continues
Samajwadi Party Mumbai unit chief and legislator Abu Azmi. File pic
Samajwadi Party Maharashtra state president and legislator Abu Asim Azmi has highlighted the growing panic among hotel owners in the city due to the acute shortage of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.
Speaking to news agency IANS, Azmi stated that hoteliers contacted him in desperation, fearing immediate closures.
“Yesterday hotel owners called me saying their hotel would have to shut today. I tried to help and managed to send them an extra cylinder through a relative. There is complete panic,” he said.
Mumbai, Maharashtra: Samajwadi Party state president and MLA Abu Azmi on the LPG cylinder shortage said, “Yesterday hotel owners called me saying their hotel would have to shut today. I tried to help and managed to send them an extra cylinder through a relative. There is complete… pic.twitter.com/86DyPMLsYD
— IANS (@ians_india) March 12, 2026
He further mentioned that his own household has ordered two electric stoves as a precautionary measure amid the uncertainty.
Mumbai has been facing commercial LPG supply challenges, with hoteliers and restaurateurs reporting difficulties in procuring cylinders, leading to concerns over business continuity in the hospitality sector.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has clarified that there is no official ban on commercial LPG supply, though industry voices have noted reduced availability and disruptions potentially linked to global supply chain issues.
No shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, ATF or fuel oil: Hardeep Puri tells Lok Sabha
Meanwhile on Thursday, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri informed the Lok Sabha that India is successfully navigating major disruptions in global energy supplies following the West Asia conflict.
“India has sufficient gas production and supply arrangements to sustain this position even in the event of a prolonged conflict. Power generation for every household and for industry is fully protected,” Puri said. Opposition members sloganeered and protested against the minister’s remarks.
The Union Minister noted that the conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. The route typically handles about 20 per cent of the world’s crude oil, natural gas and LPG supplies.
Addressing the House, Puri said India’s crude supply remains secure even though about 45 per cent of the country’s imports earlier passed through the affected route, news agency ANI reported. He added that “Non-Hormuz sourcing has risen to approximately 70 per cent of crude imports, up from 55 per cent before the conflict began”.
The minister attributed the stability to diversification of supply sources, noting that India now imports crude from 40 countries compared to 27 in 2006-07. He assured the House that “There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, ATF or fuel oil. The availability of petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, kerosene, and fuel oil is fully assured,” adding that refineries are operating at high capacity utilisation, at times “exceeding 100 per cent”.
On natural gas supply, the government has implemented a prioritised allocation system under the Natural Gas Control Order issued on March 9.
(With IANS and ANI inputs)
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