The turbulence in the Middle East has hit Darjeeling earlier than other places in the region because of its tourism-dependent economy.

Darjeeling hoteliers are worried about accepting new bookings as the tourism season is about to begin, after the Centre curtailed the distribution of commercial LPG cylinders to hotels and restaurants following the US-Israel assault on Iran.

“After March 7, no new requests for commercial LPG are being accepted. If the situation persists, we have no option but to shut shutters,” said Reggie Lama, secretary, Darjeeling Hoteliers’ Association.

Unlike other towns in north Bengal, Darjeeling’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism and its allied businesses. The association has around 320 members in Darjeeling town alone and lakhs of tourists come here every year.

“If we can’t even serve breakfast to tourists, things will be difficult,” said Lama.

Restaurant owners, too, said that they were facing a similar LPG scarcity.

The hoteliers want the government to ensure “a steady flow of confirmed, albeit rationed” LPG to run the bare minimum services.

The Darjeeling tourism industry has been consistently hit for nearly a decade now.

“The Darjeeling tourism sector has been struggling since 2017, when the Gorkhaland agitation convulsed the hills. Covid-19 hit the sector in 2020 and 2021, and the industry had just begun limping back to a semblance of normalcy when it was again devastated by the Sikkim GLOF in October 2023. The Pahalgam terrorist attack in April 2025 and its subsequent fallout and Darjeeling/Mirik landslides in October 2025 further affected tourism,” said Lama.

The ministry of petroleum and natural gases in post on X said that a committee of executive directors of oil marketing companies had been formed to review the situation.

“For LPG supply to other non-domestic sectors, a committee of three Eds of OMCs have been constituted to review the representations for LPG supply to restaurants/hotels/ other industries,” read the post.

India consumes around 31.3 million tons of LPG annually, with about 87 per cent used in the domestic sector and the remainder by commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurants.

At the moment, hospitals and educational institutions are being prioritised for the distribution of commercial LPG.