LPG shortage hits Chennai’s Amma canteens, menus trimmed and output slashed

A sharp shortage of LPG cylinders has disrupted operations at Amma canteens across Chennai, forcing authorities to scale down food production and curtail menus at several outlets, officials said.

The impact has been most visible in reduced idli output and the suspension of chapati preparation in many locations. Field visits on Wednesday to areas such as Egmore and Triplicane revealed that canteen staff have been instructed to limit cooking due to inadequate gas supply. Chapatis, which require higher fuel consumption, have been dropped at several centres, while idli production has been significantly reduced.

Run by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Amma Canteens are a vital lifeline for thousands of low-income residents who depend on subsidised meals daily.

Officials said LPG supplies have dropped sharply over the past 10 days. “Earlier, more than 300 cylinders were supplied daily. Now it has come down to around 150,” a corporation official said, underlining the severity of the crunch.

To cope with the situation, the GCC has introduced a hub-based cooking model in select zones. Under this system, food is prepared at centralised kitchens and distributed to clusters of 15–18 nearby canteens, ensuring that basic services continue despite limited fuel availability.

On the ground, the disruption has been stark. At the Gengu Reddy Subway canteen in Egmore, weekly LPG supply has fallen from five cylinders to just two, cutting idli production from 350 to 150 per day. In Chintadripet, canteens now receive only two to three cylinders weekly, reducing idli output from 500 to 300, with evening chapatis replaced by idlis.

A similar trend is visible in Triplicane, where daily idli production has dropped from 600 to 350, while chapati numbers have been halved.

However, the impact has not been uniform. The canteen at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for children campus continues to function normally, despite broader curbs on chapati preparation.

Authorities have termed the situation temporary and assured that full-scale operations will resume once LPG supplies stabilise. Until then, efforts remain focused on maintaining essential services while adapting to the ongoing constraints.

With IANS inputs