Hoteliers Promised Fair Supply Of LPG Cylinders

To address the crisis, a delegation from the joint action committee —comprising members from the AP Star Hotels Association and Vijayawada Hotels Association—met civil supplies director Shrivas Ajay on Tuesday, seeking his intervention to ensure a fair distribution across the state.

The director assured the hoteliers that distribution would be equitable, without discrimination between large star hotels and smaller eateries.

As a precautionary measure, the government is considering “Covid-style” restrictions, which would require hotels, restaurants, and street food outlets to close by 10pm to save 10–20 per cent of LPG usage. Officials are also encouraging a shift towards charcoal or wood-based cooking methods for items such as tandoori dishes and biryani, while limiting dishes that require high-pressure gas burners, like Chinese cuisine.

Staggered weekly holidays for different city zones are also being proposed to reduce overall gas demand.

JAC leaders RV Swamy and Ramana Rao highlighted the risks associated with a complete shutdown, noting that skilled staff—particularly from North India—may return to their home states. They emphasized that, despite reduced LPG supply, hotels remain committed to keeping kitchens operational to serve the public. Districts such as Anantapur and Kurnool are reportedly facing the most severe shortages. The industry pledged full cooperation with the government to manage the crisis without a total disruption of food services.

This approach combines rationing, operational adjustments, and alternative cooking methods to mitigate the LPG shortage while maintaining essential hospitality services.