Karnataka’s bustling capital Bengaluru is facing a crippling commercial LPG crisis, leading Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to appeal directly to Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri for swift relief. In a Thursday letter, he called for enhanced supplies of commercial and auto LPG to prevent widespread business closures.
The issue escalated after central guidelines favored household LPG, disrupting commercial flows despite state efforts to prioritize essentials. Demand from hotels, restaurants, and hostels hovers at 50,000 cylinders daily, but supplies have plummeted to just 1,000, triggering shutdowns across sectors.
Siddaramaiah emphasized the broader impact on vulnerable groups including students, tech workers, and rural folk dependent on these outlets. He criticized the absence of a centralized platform for commercial LPG tracking, contrasting it with robust domestic systems, which breeds inequities.
Bengaluru’s auto-rickshaws, powered largely by auto LPG for vital connectivity, are equally hit, with monitoring gaps eroding accountability and threatening incomes. Optimism surrounds impending tanker arrivals, but the CM pressed for guaranteed quotas tailored to Karnataka’s needs.
The plea underscores the urgency to resolve supply bottlenecks, ensuring steady availability for commerce and mobility. Food Minister K.H. Muniyappa had previously assured the assembly of temporary measures, requesting a week’s cooperation as vessels from Iran, currently in Qatar, approach Indian shores amid ongoing diplomatic efforts.