Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Mar 11: Hotels and restaurants across Kashmir are sitting on just eight to ten days of commercial LPG stock, with fresh supplies uncertain after the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued an advisory on March 9 prioritising domestic consumers.
The concerns come amid rising global tensions triggered by the escalating conflict involving Iran, which has unsettled international petroleum markets and sparked panic buying of fuel and LPG cylinders in several parts of the country.
President of the Jammu and Kashmir Hotels and Restaurants Association (JKHARA) Babar Chowdhary said that the situation, while not yet a crisis, was worrying. “As of now there is no shortage, but the stock we have will last for around eight to ten days. If fresh supplies are not ensured, operations may halt,” he said.
Chowdhary warned that the hotel and restaurant sector employed nearly 3.5 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir, and any disruption in fuel supply could have serious economic consequences.
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCC&I) has separately urged the Central government to ensure adequate commercial LPG supply to hotels, restaurants and catering establishments across the Valley. “The hotels and restaurants depend heavily on LPG as their primary cooking fuel and lack viable alternatives for commercial-scale operations,” the Chamber said.
President of the All-India LPG Federation Jagmohan Singh Raina cautioned that panic buying was already straining supply chains. “The ongoing conflict has affected the global economy and petroleum supplies. People are queuing up at petrol pumps not only to fill vehicles but also to store fuel in cans and bottles. Gas agencies are facing similar situations where consumers who already have two cylinders are demanding a third,” Raina said, appealing to the public to avoid panic purchases.
He flagged particular concern for tourism-dependent regions. “Jammu and Kashmir is a premier tourist destination and hotels and restaurants depend on commercial cylinders,” he said.
President of the All Kashmir Bakery Association Shahid Mir said bakeries were witnessing a surge in Ramadhan demand but were not yet facing a fuel crisis. “Demand for bakery products increases during Ramadhan. Many bakeries operate rotary ovens that run on diesel and as of now there is no information regarding any shortage of diesel,” he said.
Meanwhile, panic booking has been reported in Sopore and several other parts of the Valley, with residents rushing to secure LPG cylinders amid shortage fears, adding to pressure on gas agencies. Under the existing distribution system, domestic consumers are generally entitled to one cylinder approximately every 25 days.
The supply scare comes at a particularly sensitive time. Kashmir’s tourism sector is still recovering from a difficult 2025, when arrivals in the Valley dropped to around 11.1 lakh, significantly lower than the previous year, leaving businesses deeply anxious ahead of the upcoming season.
Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Satish Sharma on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting in Jammu to review the stock position and supply of petroleum products across Jammu and Kashmir. He directed officials and oil marketing companies to maintain adequate buffer stocks and ensure uninterrupted supply of petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG across all districts.
Sharma directed enforcement agencies to maintain strict vigilance against hoarding, black marketing and overcharging of petroleum products and LPG cylinders.
