Mumbai’s mornings run on soft idlis and crispy vadas, many of them coming out of tiny, steaming kitchens tucked inside Dharavi. But that rhythm is breaking. A sharp shortage of commercial LPG due to the war in West Asia has forced these home-run setups to go silent, cutting off the daily supply chain that feeds commuters across the city.

For many vendors, this is not just a slowdown; it is survival slipping away. With no viable alternative fuel and no steady gas supply, kitchens are shutting, savings are thinning, and a reverse migration back to villages has already begun.