'Ladu Samrat', the iconic establishment in Mumbai's Lalbaug, famous for its vada pav, remained shut on Wednesday owing to the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage caused by the Middle East crisis, reported The Indian Express.
"We never thought this could ever be a problem… Only our mithai shop is open,” Siddhant Rakshe, the son of owner Maruti Rakshe, told IE, noting that he has made unsuccessful attempts to acquire more cylinders.
'Ladu Samrat' is renowned for its vada pav and the crowd that gathers outside its entrance from the crack of dawn.
Currently, alongside the Lalbaug location, the family operates a sweet-making facility in Chinchpokli and two dining establishments, 'Shobhaa Only Veg' and 'Annamaya', both situated in Byculla. On Wednesday, all three were shuttered, as per the report.
Even though the shutdowns are costing the family-run business Rs 2–3 lakh daily, Rakshe expressed that his greater concern is the impact on the workforce. “We will bounce back in business. The challenge lies in the uncertainty that our employees are experiencing," Rakshe added.
The 'Ladu Samrat' label was founded by Rakshe's grandfather in 1967 in a modest shop located in a chawl in Lalbaug. The store ultimately ceased operations after the building fell apart, a disaster that also took the life of the family's patriarch. In 1991, his father resurrected the brand.
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LPG shortage in India
With over 85% of India's imports needing to navigate the Strait of Hormuz to reach its ports and with minimal backup storage, the disruption occurred swiftly, unlike the situation with auto fuels where strategic reserves of crude oil and derivatives are equivalent to two months of usage.
The structure of India's LPG system is tailored for operational flow rather than stockpiling. Currently, there are no definitive proposals to expand substantial underground storage either. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has highlighted the absence of such storage as a critical infrastructural flaw in India.
According to IEA data, India's LPG imports surged three times from 2011-12 to 2024-25, reaching roughly 20 million tonnes. These imports account for approximately 60% of India's requirements.
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