1 month ago
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Hotels, restaurants, bakeries and canteens downed their shutters crossed Kerala successful a 24-hour Statewide onslaught connected Wednesday (May 6, 2026), leaving many, particularly regular commuters, scrambling for meals.
The shutdown, led by the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA), was successful protestation against a steep hike successful 19-kg commercialized LPG cylinder prices. The summation of ₹993 has pushed costs beyond ₹3,000 per cylinder, with edifice owners claiming the surge has made regular operations unsustainable.
The token onslaught resulted successful a near-complete closure of dine-in, takeaway and adjacent online nutrient transportation services successful the State.
In Thiruvananthapuram, radical from assorted walks of beingness were severely impacted by the strike. At places, including East Fort and Statue junction, which are usually packed with office-goers and street-side vendors, eateries remained closed passim the day.
For many, the time began with disorder and hunger. “I hoped to person immoderate breakfast. But, everyplace I went, the restaurants were closed. I did not adjacent get a cupful of tea,” says Lakshmi, a rootlike vendor from Vellayani.
Thampanoor, a cardinal transit hub successful the State capital, witnessed akin scenes, with travellers who arrived aboriginal successful the greeting uncovering themselves stranded without food. Satheesh, a metropolis nonmigratory who works successful Kollam, says helium usually has meal earlier embarking connected his bid travel to his workplace. “Only aft reaching present did I realise everything was shut. I was not alert of the strike. I mightiness person to marque bash with biscuits from stalls astatine the railway station,” helium laments.
Some respite
Nevertheless, a fewer roadside eateries that offered beverage and airy snacks, immoderate restaurants adjacent hospitals specified the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital, and canteens attached to authorities offices provided respite to many.
As portion of the protest, demonstrators took retired a march from the Martyrs’ Column successful Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram.
KHRA office-bearers pointed retired that LPG prices person astir doubled successful six months, to transverse ₹3,100 this month.
The terms of a commercialized LPG cylinder stood astatine ₹1,684 successful December 2025, and accrued steadily implicit consequent months to scope ₹1,845 successful February, ₹1,912 successful March and ₹2,112 successful April.
The rising costs, combined with expanding expenses for labour and earthy materials, person brought the nutrient assemblage to a standstill, according to the edifice owners.
Major commercialized bodies, including Kerala Vypari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samthi and All Kerala Caterers Association, supported the Statewide stir.
