Mumbai, March 20 -- The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has urged the state government and the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to classify it as an emergency service to ensure an uninterrupted supply of LPG, amid a shortage that has disrupted operations at its canteens. The move comes after BEST was forced to shut 10 of its major canteens across bus depots due to inadequate LPG supply. These canteens cater to drivers, conductors, staff and passengers. In total, BEST operates 64 canteens across 27 stations in the city. BEST chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao said the undertaking has sought priority allocation of LPG cylinders, especially from the recent shipment that arrived at Mundra port in Gujarat. "We have requested the government to recognise BEST as an emergency service and ensure a steady supply of LPG for our canteens," she said. BEST officials said they are awaiting the government's response to their request. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier Shivalik arrived at Gujarat's Mundra Port on Monday, carrying around 46,000 metric tonnes of LPG. The shipment is expected to temporarily ease supply pressure for consumers amid disruptions in global energy routes. The vessel, a Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) owned by the Shipping Corporation of India, brought in LPG equivalent to around 3.24 million standard 14.2-kg domestic cylinders. Officials said each large canteen typically requires one LPG cylinder per day, while smaller canteens, many of which are still functional, manage with one cylinder for about three days. Due to the shortage, food options have been reduced to basic meals such as dal and rice. "These canteens are mainly serving dal and rice with a few side assortments or basic food items to people coming to eat," said a BEST driver. The BEST Workers Union has also written to the administration, pointing out that global disruptions affecting LPG supply are now impacting essential local services. Union president Shashank Sharad Rao urged authorities to reserve a dedicated LPG quota for BEST canteens and provide temporary relaxations to catering contractors to ensure continued service to employees. "Since BEST is an essential service, efforts should be made to reserve gas quota for canteens by contacting the district collector or petroleum companies. Until the situation returns to normal, catering contractors should be given relaxations in some criteria to ensure that refreshments continue to be provided to BEST employees," Rao said....