Commercial LPG Supply Uncertainty Worries Tirupati Hospitality Sector
Many establishments in the temple city currently have LPG stocks that may last for only about a week: Sources
TIRUPATI: Hotels and restaurants in Tirupati are preparing for possible disruption of their operations, following reports of an impending shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, the main cooking fuel for most eateries in the pilgrim city. The concern comes amid volatility in global energy markets due to the ongoing West Asia conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Sources said many establishments in the temple city currently have LPG stocks that may last for only about a week. If fresh supplies are not restored soon, several restaurants may be forced to scale down or halt services, or explore temporary alternatives to continue serving pilgrims visiting the temple town.
Tirupati’s hospitality sector plays a major role in supporting the daily inflow of devotees travelling to Tirumala. The hill shrine and the base city together host hundreds of hotels, restaurants and fast-food outlets that cater to pilgrims round the clock, most of which depend entirely on LPG cylinders for cooking.
Industry representatives said Tirupati city alone has more than 300 restaurants, fast-food centres and small eateries, many of them primarily serving visiting devotees. On an average day, about 80,000 to 90,000 pilgrims arrive in the city, making the availability of food services an essential part of the pilgrim infrastructure.
Expressing concern over the reported LPG supply disruption, members of the Tirupati Hotels and Restaurants Association (THARA) submitted a representation to the district collector seeking intervention. The association urged the district administration to reconsider the reported move to curtail commercial LPG supplies, stating that thousands of hotels, roadside eateries and food vendors depend on LPG cylinders for their daily operations. Any prolonged shortage, they said, could affect both the hospitality sector and food availability for devotees.
While a couple of large restaurants may manage through alternatives such as electric cooking facilities, piped gas and LPG storage banks, smaller and medium-sized eateries remain heavily dependent on regular cylinder supplies. With uncertainty over availability, some have begun exploring alternative cooking arrangements. A few establishments are preparing to temporarily shift to firewood-based cooking or rely on electric kitchen equipment.
However, restaurant owners say such alternatives are difficult to implement. “Cooking with firewood takes longer and requires additional manpower compared to LPG. We have to start preparations at least two to three hours earlier to ensure that food is ready on time,” said THARA secretary T. Nithin Chakravarthy.
Caterers have also raised concern over the wedding season gathering momentum in the temple city. Industry representatives said more than 2,000 weddings are scheduled in Tirupati and Tirumala between now and June. Large-scale catering for these events depends heavily on commercial LPG cylinders.
