LUCKNOW, March 10 -- Restaurants, hotels and small food businesses in Lucknow are staring at a cooking gas crisis after the refilling of commercial LPG cylinders was halted by oil and gas companies from Monday morning, sending supplies across the state into a tailspin, officials said.

The city consumes nearly 14,000 commercial LPG cylinders every day, distributed through around 125 agencies operating in the state capital, officials said. With refilling stopped, restaurants, street food vendors, catering services and tea stalls are already feeling the pinch.

Anil Agarwal of Anil Caterers said, "If this continues for long, then during the coming marriage season the caterers will have to face huge loss. The commercial cylinders are short a...