LPG Shortage Hits Ranchi Gig Workers' Incomes, Restaurants Cut Menus

Ranchi: The LPG shortage has affected the incomes of gig workers employed by food outlets and delivery platforms over the past few days, with eateries and restaurants cutting down on their menus.

Shravan Kumar, a delivery partner, said many of them are stuck in a limbo as they have to do their jobs but their daily income has taken a major hit.




“We operate on commission. During the day, we are paid Rs 10 if we deliver food within a range of 1-1.5 km. The commission goes up as per the distance travelled. Now, the number of orders has dwindled, and I am unable to earn as much I used to before,” Kumar, who stays in a lodge in Kokar area of the city, told TOI on Saturday.

“I mostly operate at night because we get more commission then. I used to earn Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,300 per day. It has come down to Rs 800 since the crisis began,” he said.

Kumar said people are avoiding ordering food from eateries as owners have truncated their menus.

An owner of a restaurant on Circular Road in Lalpur area, Ranjit Kumar, said that he is only preparing a simple menu — rice, dal, and vegetables. “I stopped preparing Chinese, south Indian dishes and tandoori items due to the LPG crisis. Let’s hope the situation improves soon; otherwise, I will not be able to prepare even the simple menu and will have to shut down my restaurant,” he said.

Vikash Kumar, who works for a food aggregator, said that his income has come down from Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,400 per day to around Rs 400 to Rs 450. He stays near Pahari Mandir and is facing trouble because he has to refuel his bike from time to time and also run his household. He hoped that things would improve in a couple of days.

Krishna Kumar, a resident of Ratu Road, said his business of food delivery was affected. “I am facing a lot of problems,” he said.