New Delhi, The footfall at Atal Canteens across the capital has increased sharply as concerns over dwindling LPG stock have come to haunt city residents in the wake of military escalations in West Asia.

With residents rushing to Atal Canteens to avail daily meals as LPG cylinders at their homes are exhausted, the sudden dependence on these subsidised facilities has resulted in long queues outside the canteens, with food items running out on some evenings.

Abha Shekhar, a resident of Ashram, said her family has been eating at an Atal Canteen twice a day as they have not been able to arrange a gas cylinder for the past few days.

“Since Tuesday, my family has been coming here for lunch and dinner. It is close to our home, so we manage. Otherwise, I have no other option to cook food,” she said.

Shekhar said she works as a house help and her husband is a construction worker. The couple has been visiting cylinder distributors every day but they have still not been able to get a refill.

Hemant, who runs a ration shop near the Atal Canteen in Ashram, said he has also started eating at the facility in recent days to save the gas available at his home.

“I have started eating at the canteen for the past few days. Earlier, I never came here, but yesterday and even this morning I brought my family to eat here,” he said.

Hemant said he had refilled his gas cylinder around 20 days ago and it is likely to last only a few more days. Until he manages to get another cylinder, he plans to rely on the canteen as the meals are affordable.

A canteen staff member told PTI that more people than usual have been visiting the facility in the last two to three days, and the sudden rush has affected food availability at times.

“Last night, the line for dinner stretched till the road. The food got finished and some people had to leave without eating,” the staff member said, adding that cooked food is supplied by a caterer.

Another staff member said that normally around 200 to 250 people visit the canteen in a day. However, since the beginning of this week, the number has risen to more than 300 visitors.

A worker at the Jangpura Atal Canteen said that earlier around 15 plates of food used to remain unused and were returned to the supplier at night, but of late the whole stock of food is getting consumed.

However, DUSIB Principal Director P K Jha said there is no issue related to cylinders and denied any shortage of food at Atal Canteens or shelter homes.

Roshan, a daily wage worker, said he has been trying to refill his LPG cylinder but has not been able to get one despite repeated attempts over the past few days.

“I live here alone and since Monday, I have been trying to refill the cylinder but could not. Now for lunch and dinner, my only option is the Atal Canteen where I get food for ₹5,” he said.

He added that he once arrived late and could not get food as it had already finished. “I do not know how long I will have to manage like this,” he said.

A senior representative of an NGO, who supplies meals to eight Atal Canteens and night shelters, said caterers are also facing difficulties as large quantities of gas are required daily to prepare meals.

“We need at least 10 cylinders every day, but currently we are getting only one and that too with great difficulty. We have written to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board about the problem,” he said.

Another food provider, who supplies meals to seven Atal Canteens, said his cylinder stock is also nearing exhaustion and he has written to the department regarding the issue.

“The DUSIB officials told us they are holding a meeting on the matter and have assured that cylinders will be supplied on time,” he said, adding that food providers receive government-licensed cylinders through the department.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.