IRCTC May Halt Train Meals Amid Nationwide LPG Shortage, Advises Contingency Plans

Last Updated:March 11, 2026, 12:49 IST

IRCTC asked food plazas, refreshment rooms, and Jan Ahaar outlets at railway stations to switch to alternate cooking modes in case of any shortage of LPG.

A nationwide shortage of LPG cylinders is affecting Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)’s catering operations, leading the railways to consider temporarily halting cooked meal services on trains and offering refunds to passengers who pre-booked meals with their tickets.

IRCTC has directed its catering licensees to implement contingency plans to maintain uninterrupted food services for passengers.

Railway officials said the LPG shortage is impacting IRCTC’s base kitchens, where meals for trains are prepared before being loaded onto pantry cars. While pantry cars mainly serve as distribution and reheating units and do not carry LPG cylinders, the disruption at base kitchens is now affecting meal preparation for long-distance trains.

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In a letter dated March 10 (Tuesday), IRCTC asked food plazas, refreshment rooms, and Jan Ahaar outlets at railway stations to switch to alternate cooking modes in case of any shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

“In light of recent international conflicts in West Asia affecting the regional stability and supply of commercial LPG cylinders, it is imperative to ensure that catering services at all Food Plazas, Refreshment Rooms and Jan Ahaars remain uninterrupted," it said.

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“In addition to standard…and other food items, you are required to maintain a sufficient inventory of Ready to Eat (RTE) food items within your units to meet passenger demand," it added.

Railway officials stated that IRCTC provides nearly 17 lakh meals daily nationwide through its base kitchens and onboard catering services.

IRCTC said the measures are intended to maintain catering services at railway stations and minimize inconvenience to passengers in case of supply disruptions. Caterers have been instructed to promptly inform authorities if LPG supply to their zones is affected or halted.

“Please ensure strict compliance with these directives to avoid any disruption in service to traveling passengers," the advisory said.

On Tuesday, the government decided to ration natural gas, giving priority to households with piped gas and vehicles using compressed natural gas, as the West Asia conflict disrupts shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

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