Vada Pav To Become Costlier? Price of Mumbai’s Favourite Street Food May Rise As BMC Mandates Bakeries To Switch to LPG or Electricity

Mumbai, February 20: A new directive from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) mandating Mumbai’s bakeries to switch to cleaner fuel by July 8 has raised alarms within the bakery industry. The India Bakers’ Association (IBA) is expressing concern that this move could significantly increase the cost of Mumbai’s iconic vada pav, a popular street food.

The BMC’s decision requires bakeries to transition from traditional wood or diesel-fired ovens to gas-powered alternatives like LPG or electricity. However, bakery owners argue that the switch is not feasible, citing economic and logistical challenges. Traditional wood-fired ovens, or 'bhattis,' which are integral to baking the city's staple pav, are designed for slow-burning firewood, making them ill-suited for alternative fuel sources. Mumbai Coastal Road: BMC Responds After Video Showing Patchwork on Coastal Road Goes Viral; Says ‘Asphalting Done Ahead of Monsoon Season, Some Separation Occurred at Joints’.

According to the IBA, replacing wood with LPG would require each bakery to store up to 25 cylinders of gas daily, creating a fire hazard in densely populated residential areas, the Hindustan Times reported. Additionally, the cost of installing new gas-powered ovens could range between INR 15 and INR 20 lakh, making it unaffordable for many smaller bakeries.

The shift to electricity is also seen as impractical, as the existing 150-square-foot ovens cannot accommodate electrical systems, and the increased cost of energy would result in a price hike for products. As per the media outlet, IBA president Khodad Irani warned that this could lead to a dramatic rise in the price of vada pav, with a six-pav score potentially jumping from INR 12 to INR 60. Best Sandwiches in the World 2024: Mumbai’s Vada Pav Clinches 19th Spot Among the World’s Best Sandwiches (View Post).

“At present, diesel and wood are being used in our ovens. If we switch to electricity, the basic cost of manufacturing will increase. Today a laadi (score) of six pavs cost INR 12, if we switch to electric, this will lead to a five-time increase of cost as a score of pavs will cost not less than INR 60. Mumbai’s staple food vada pav will also record a jump in its selling price. This is a sociological problem and the issue is not just confined to our bakery industry," Indian Express quoted Ashfaque Siddique, president (South Mumbai), Mumbai Bakers Association, as saying.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2025 09:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).