Ludhiana, June 9 -- A fresh hike in commercial LPG prices has intensified financial pressure on Ludhiana's street vendors and small food businesses, many of whom say repeated increases over the past three months have sharply raised operating costs and forced them to increase the prices of tea, snacks and meals.

The latest revision, which came into effect on June 1, increased the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder by Rs.42 to Rs.53.50 in major cities. In Ludhiana, the price of a 19-kg commercial cylinder now stands at Rs.3,220.50.

The latest increase follows a steep surge in May, when the price of a 19-kg non-domestic cylinder jumped from Rs.2,161 in April to Rs.3,154, registering an increase of Rs.993. Industry observers attribute...