The impact of the escalating Middle East conflict has reached Kolkata, triggering a severe shortage of commercial cooking gas. The historic canteen at Writers’ Building is on the verge of shutting down, as operators struggle to secure cylinders—prices for which have surged from ₹2,000 to nearly ₹5,400. Despite the astronomical rise in costs, the management has not yet hiked food prices, making it unsustainable to continue operations.

The crisis has also forced one of the city’s oldest educational institutions, IIISWBM, to close its canteen for the past three days. Students and faculty are facing significant hardships, with many resorting to bringing home-cooked meals or scouting for food elsewhere. However, with local eateries also battling the same gas shortage, the city is facing an unprecedented disruption in food services. All eyes are on the restoration of gas supply as citizens wait for normalcy to return.