As temperatures dip in Kolkata, room heaters vanish from shop shelves

People take a dip in the Ganga river as a flock of pigeons fly at Ganga Ghat, in Kolkata on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

With Kolkata witnessing unusually chilly weather—the city saw temperatures in the 10-degree range early on Wednesday, a day after it recorded its coldest January day in 12 years—electronic shops are running out of room heaters as shopkeepers and distributors scramble to meet soaring demand.

“We have placed an order for room heaters and have been told that we will receive them in the next two or three days. Many people are asking for room heaters but are returning empty-handed,” the manager of a reputed electronics showroom in Salt Lake told The Indian Express. The showroom ran out of its room heater stock in the last two days, he added.

The sudden drop in temperatures has caught both residents and shopkeepers off guard, and with the demand for room heaters increasing in the last week, prices have also gone up.

“Demand is high, and supply is low, so prices are rising. Some branded room heaters that cost Rs 1,800 now cost Rs 2,200,” Snehasish Ghosh, the owner of an electronics shop in north Kolkata, said. On average, room heaters and blowers cost Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000.

Shopkeepers, he said, were encouraging people to buy branded room heaters. “Local brands have no warranty, so we are asking customers to buy branded heaters. Heaters are risky. While sleeping, if something falls on them and they catch fire, they could pose a huge risk,” he explained.

Sunil Rathi, who owns an electronics shop in Ezra Street, said he has never seen such high demand for heaters in the last few years. “I do not remember the last time I saw such a rush for room heaters. For many years, the temperatures had also not dipped…this time, it is below 10 degrees Celsius,” Rathi said.

With shops running out of heaters, many Kolkata residents like Sabyasachi Dutta are relying on woollens. “I had gone to get a room heater, but the shop owner said none are available. So, I bought three to four blankets, as temperatures are dropping drastically,” he added.