Gas Crisis Grips Region from Noida to Mumbai; Many Hotels Shut Down

People across the globe are deeply distressed by the conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the US. In particular, an LPG crisis is unfolding across several regions of India. From Mumbai to Delhi and Noida, people can be seen standing in exceptionally long lines. There is a delay of 2 to 8 days in receiving cylinder refills, making it difficult to cook meals at home. Many hotels and restaurants have also been forced to shut down or are operating with limited menus. The situation has been further compounded by the circulation of fraudulent delivery notification messages.

People are being forced to stand in long queues, exacerbating food-related hardships. Many hotels have shut down, and people are resorting to eating *sattu* to stave off hunger.

In Mumbai, due to the current shortage of LPG cylinders, people in several localities can be seen standing in long queues outside gas agencies early in the morning, holding their empty cylinders. The situation has become so critical that the government has been compelled to establish monitoring committees. In many places, people are satisfying their hunger by consuming *sattu*.

What is the Current Situation in Mumbai?

In various parts of Mumbai, there is a delay of 2 to 8 days in receiving cylinder refills. The supply of commercial cylinders (used by hotels and restaurants) has virtually ground to a halt. Approximately 20% to 40% of the city's hotels and restaurants have either shut down or are operating with limited menus. In the Kandivali area of Mumbai, people were seen standing in long queues even on a Sunday morning. Many individuals had arrived and taken their spots in line as early as 5:00 AM.

Residents in Noida Face Hardship; Quelling Hunger with Sattu

In Sector 5, Noida, residents have been waiting for the gas cylinder delivery vehicle for three days. One resident stated that they are currently satisfying their hunger by eating *dahi-chura* (curd and flattened rice) and *sattu*. A vehicle delivering gas cylinders usually arrives in Noida Sector 5; residents would previously queue up to collect their cylinders from this very vehicle. However, the vehicle has not shown up for the past four days. People have been standing in line since early morning—as early as 3 or 4 AM—waiting for the vehicle, but it has yet to arrive.

Those standing in line reported that they are receiving delivery confirmation messages for their cylinders, yet they have not actually received them. Consequently, they are now left wandering around in a desperate search for their own cylinders. They have been making daily trips for the last three or four days, standing in line all day long, only to return empty-handed.

Summary

Some residents mentioned that their households have been without a gas cylinder for three days. They are managing their daily chores by borrowing a cylinder from a neighbor for a few hours at a time. One individual shared that he has been subsisting on a diet of *dahi-chura* (curd and flattened rice) and *sattu* for the past two days.