- Delhi's street food stalls face gas shortages amid Middle East crisis and revised LPG rules
- Popular dishes like chole bhature and dal makhani are disappearing from menus in Connaught Place
- Vendors struggle to maintain business without raising prices, risking livelihood and staff retention
Delhi's iconic street food culture finds itself in a difficult situation as the LPG shortage and the soaring black-market prices impact small eateries across the city. The disruption follows revised gas allocation rules amid the Middle East crisis and has left dhabas and food stalls grappling with erratic supply.
At the heart of Connaught Place, usually buzzing with food lovers, the impact is visible on plates. NDTV spoke to several vendors in Shankar Market, where popular dishes are disappearing from menus.
Deepak, a local vendor, says the shortage has forced them to switch to induction cooking for chapatis, while completely removing staples like chole bhature. "We don't have enough gas to sustain dishes that require continuous cooking," he says.
Saurabh Mehta, owner of a dhaba in Shankar Market, highlights the impact on business. "From auto drivers to corporate employees, everyone comes here for affordable, quality food. But now, with our best-selling dishes like chole bhature and dal makhani off the menu, footfall has dropped," he says.
For several dhaba owners like him, raising prices is not an option, as it could drive customers away further. "We are trying our best to retain our staff and survive on minimal earnings," he adds.
Read: Ground Report: Amid Commercial Gas Concerns, Some Eateries Shut, Food Costs More
Regular customers are equally disappointed. Ravi Parcha, who has been visiting the food joints in this area since the early 2000s, says, "It's sad to come here and not find chole bhature. For Delhiites, it's a must-have."
Visitors from outside the city are also feeling the pinch. Dimple, who has travelled from Chandigarh, noted rising prices and limited options. "We like eating out, but now many items are simply unavailable. There's no clarity on when things will return to normal," she says.
For vendors like Ramchandra from Gupta Dhaba in Connaught Place, the uncertainty is alarming. "We don't even know if we will have enough stock to run the shop tomorrow. Our livelihood depends on this," he says.
The crisis is the most visible at stalls known for specific dishes. Vijay Parashar, who runs a chole bhature outlet, now sits outside a largely empty shop. "We need a continuous gas supply to prepare bhature. Without it, we can't serve what we're known for," he says, adding that while the dish remains on the menu, it cannot be prepared.
Read: Why The War In Middle East Is Triggering LPG Prices In India
Officegoers like Sunil Kumar are also feeling the absence of their favourite meals. "I love chole bhature, dal makhani, and chole rice, but I can't find them anywhere these days," he said.
As vendors resort to alternatives like coal and wood-fired cooking, concerns are also rising over environmental impact and food quality. What began as a global crisis is now reshaping everyday life in Delhi--one plate at a time.
