Kathmandu, Sept. 6 -- The cooking gas shortage has deepened in the Kathmandu Valley, with consumers saying they are being forced to return empty-handed despite queuing for hours for a cylinder.

The shortage has also pushed restaurants and small eateries to the brink of closure, as an already uncertain supply of liquefied petroleum gas has become increasingly difficult to manage.

The scarcity follows the closure of the Krishnabhir section of the Mugling-Naubise road along the Prithvi Highway, the main supply route to Kathmandu Valley. The disruption has severely affected the movement of essential goods into the capital.

Amid the shortage, LPG refilling plant operators have raised the price by Rs100 to Rs105 per cylinder, saying the cost...