Guwahati Restaurants Face Shutdown Over Commercial LPG Shortage

GUWAHATI: Thousands of restaurants and hotels in Guwahati are staring down a potential mass shutdown after a sudden shortage of commercial LPG cylinders left the city's hospitality sector scrambling for fuel.

The All Assam Restaurant Association (AARA) has written an urgent appeal to the District Commissioner of Kamrup Metropolitan District, warning that nearly 7,000 establishments are on the verge of collapse as of March 2026.

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The supply crunch stems from a recent policy decision by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to prioritize domestic LPG consumers — a move that has sharply cut into the commercial cylinder supply that restaurants and hotels depend on daily.

Many establishments have already begun feeling the pinch. According to the AARA, several restaurants have scaled down their menus, reduced operating hours, or suspended online food delivery services altogether.

"If supply is not restored within 48 hours, hundreds of establishments will be forced to shut down indefinitely," the association warned in its appeal.

The crisis is not just an operational headache — it has put the livelihoods of thousands of workers on the line. The hospitality sector is among the largest employers of both skilled and unskilled workers in Guwahati.

Safety concerns have also surfaced. Some smaller vendors are reportedly turning to firewood as a substitute, a practice that is both prohibited and hazardous in commercial kitchens.

Adding to the trouble, black market prices for commercial LPG cylinders have reportedly shot up to Rs 4,000 per cylinder, far beyond what most small eateries can afford.

AARA president Tapan Baruah, speaking to The Sentinel, acknowledged a limited initial response from authorities.

"Today, the administration has taken a small initiative by providing us a single cylinder," Baruah said.

He added that the Kamrup Metro District Administration has assured the association that authorities will provide 20% of the total monthly commercial LPG demand for Guwahati going forward.

The AARA has laid out a clear set of demands to the district administration:

• A dedicated monthly quota of commercial LPG cylinders for registered establishments

• Direct coordination with Oil Marketing Companies for priority distribution

• Strict enforcement against hoarding and black market trading

"The survival of the hospitality industry in the state capital depends on swift intervention to prevent mass closures and economic hardship," the association said in its appeal.