Mangaluru: Commercial gas shortage shuts down hotels amid global crisis

Mangaluru: Commercial gas shortage shuts down hotels amid global crisis

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Mar 23, 2026: Due to the impact of the ongoing US–Israel–Iran conflict, a shortage of commercial cooking gas has been reported in Dakshina Kannada district, forcing several hotels in the city to shut down.

Domestic LPG is being supplied under restrictions (once every 25 days), while the supply of commercial cooking gas has largely been halted. Although some agencies are still providing limited supply, most hotels that had remained open until now have begun closing.

While small hotels and canteens are usually closed on Sundays, the gas shortage has led to more establishments shutting down, leaving customers struggling to find food.

Due to high gas consumption, several hotels have stopped preparing items like dosa, idli, and vada. Instead, they are serving traditional dishes such as sajjige, avalakki, kadle-avalakki, green gram dishes, pulao, kesari bath, puliyogare, and goli baje. Chapatis are not being served during meals, and boiled rice is being preferred over raw rice.

More than 300 paying guest accommodations and over 50 hostels in the city are also facing gas shortages. Those with space have turned to firewood cooking, while others are struggling to arrange meals.

Hundreds of catering units in the district are also affected. Catering services that used to prepare live food at event venues have now stopped such services.

Earlier, the price of commercial gas was around Rs 1,800, which has now surged to Rs 3,450 — an increase of about 82%. Additionally, some gas agencies are reportedly charging arbitrary prices, making it difficult for hotel owners to procure commercial gas.

Hotel owners have warned that if the situation continues, they may be forced to shut down operations. This would also affect suppliers, cooks, cleaners, and other workers dependent on the hotel industry, along with their families.

Meanwhile, the price of firewood has also increased sharply — from Rs 900 per quintal earlier to Rs 1,300 now. Hotel Owners’ Association president Kudpi Jagadish Shenoy said that running hotel businesses with such high costs of firewood and commercial gas has become extremely difficult.