Published Mar 14, 2026 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 14, 2026 | 8:00 AM
Thiruvananthapuram Technopark.
Synopsis: Hostels, PG accommodations and workplace cafeterias in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru have been forced to cut meals or shut operations as the commercial gas shortage continues. Several hostels unable to provide three meals a day have asked residents unhappy with the situation to vacate, while more than 100 hotels in Kochi have already closed and many others may shut if supplies are not restored. The situation has forced many employees to consider leaving cities and shifting to remote work, while some employers are also encouraging the same.
Students and working professionals across cities such as Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru are growing increasingly anxious about accommodation after several major PG facilities and hostels, struggling to provide regular meals to tenants, asked inmates unhappy with the situation to vacate.
Hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodation are among the worst affected by the ongoing disruption in LPG supply.
The crisis has already forced more than 100 hotels and restaurants in Kochi alone to shut operations, while the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association said nearly 70 percent of such establishments may be forced to down their shutters by the weekend if supplies are not restored.
Similarly, the Bengaluru PG Owners’ Association issued an advisory asking paying guest accommodations to limit meal services to two meals a day from Monday to Friday. PGs have also been asked to avoid preparing gas-intensive items such as dosa, puri and chapathi.
For small and medium-sized PGs, the association suggested shifting to induction stoves and 20-litre electric rice cookers, and exploring joint cooking arrangements and food distribution among nearby PGs.
It also advised temporarily suspending self-cooking gas facilities for residents. In an extreme situation, bringing gas cylinders from small towns where demand is low will be considered.
In Kochi, Aashiyana Residency, a working women’s hostel in Kakkanad, has struggled to provide three meals a day along with tea and snacks due to the crisis, leading to complaints from tenants.
“We run two hostels in Kochi but have only one common mess facility for both. At present, around 400 inmates, mostly working women and students, stay here. We currently have only two LPG cylinders in stock and have even started using firewood for cooking,” Warden Shahnaz P told South First.
“We have stopped providing snacks and tea and complaints have begun to rise. So we informed inmates that those who wish to vacate may do so, as we are unable to run the hostel properly under these conditions.”
Another hostel, Shamiana near CSEZ in Kakkanad, has cut food quantity and reduced the number of dishes to cope with the crisis.
“We are providing meals with just one curry for lunch and dinner and even the quantity has been reduced. While a few inmates understand the situation, many have raised complaints,” Hostel Manager Vindhya told South First.
“Around 160 inmates stay here, and several have informed us that they plan to vacate after their companies asked them to opt for work-from-home arrangements, as office meal services are also getting disrupted.”
The hostel charges ₹2,650 for meals and ₹10,200 a month for shared accommodation.
“Earlier, we used to serve a non-vegetarian dish daily, but now it has been reduced to twice a week as non-veg cooking takes more time and fuel,” she said.
Several hostel canteens have either suspended operations or cut down their menus due to the lack of cooking gas, leaving residents scrambling for alternatives.
The hospitality industry also fears losing its migrant workforce if closures continue. The impact is spreading to allied sectors as well, with suppliers of vegetables, meat and fish reporting a sharp decline in hotel orders and daily sales.
The crisis has also severely affected meal services at workplaces, affecting young professionals.
At Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram, one of the state’s largest IT hubs, operators of cafeterias and food courts said commercial LPG supplies have almost completely dried up in recent days.
Distribution agencies reportedly told them that oil companies are currently prioritising the release of cylinders for hospitals and other essential services.
Several cafeterias inside the campus have temporarily halted operations, while others have drastically reduced the number of functioning food counters. Employees said this has led to long queues during meal hours and limited food availability.
The situation is particularly worrying for Technopark employees, many of whom work in multiple shifts. A large section of this workforce depends on nearby eateries and hostel kitchens for regular meals.
“The situation is grimmer across all four phases. Many outlets have shut down, and the remaining ones have scaled down operations. If the supply disruption continues for another couple of days, most restaurants and food outlets around Technopark will have no option but to close,” Sreejith, an employee of a private firm operating from Phase IV, told South First.
Krishnapriya S, an Infopark employee in Kochi, told South First that her company had informed staff about a possible disruption in meals.
“Our food vendor is facing difficulty in arranging sufficient commercial LPG cylinders. At present, only a limited quantity of LPG is available. The vendor has informed us that the existing stock will be sufficient only to prepare tomorrow’s breakfast, lunch and dinner with a restricted menu. For both lunch and dinner, only rice, thoran and one curry will be served,” a message sent by the company to employees reads.
Krishnapriya said the crisis has led many to leave the city and opt for remote work.
“Our firm is now encouraging us to shift to remote work,” she said.
Pratham, a techie in Bengaluru who lives in a PG in Malleswaram, said his company decided to suspend lunch services while his PG trimmed the menu and now provides only two meals a day instead of three.
“Several residents in my PG are considering WFH because of the suspension of meals at their companies. But the PG will not be able to handle it if many of us work from home as they don’t have commercial LPG supply,” Pratham told South First.
He said his company was also considering the WFH option for employees. “If that happens, I’ll have to rely on regularly ordering food from outside, which won’t be financially sustainable,” he said.
Shakti, a native of Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu who works for a private company in Bengaluru, left the city a few days ago because of the crisis.
“I came back home two days ago. I am currently working from home because food is not easily available there due to the LPG shortage. It became difficult for me to stay there, so I requested permission to work from home for a few days,” she added.
(Edited by Dese Gowda with inputs from Anisha Reddy, Dileep V Kumar and Subash Chandra Bose)
