Commercial LPG crunch disrupts rail catering, IRCTC uses induction stoves

The Middle East situation has deed the mode Indian Railways prepares its meals for trains. A crisp shortage of commercialized LPG cylinders has prompted the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to restart onboard repast mentation successful moving trains.

The signifier had been discontinued respective years ago. This time, however, cooking is being carried retired utilizing electrical induction stoves.The shortage emerged aft disruptions to vigor supplies moving done the Strait of Hormuz, a captious way for lipid and state exports from West Asia, pursuing the outbreak of the US-Israel struggle with Iran connected February 28. To support catering services crossed 1,400 trains serving astir 1.7 cardinal meals daily, the railway catering limb has begun preparing nutrient wrong Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) pantry cars utilizing electricity. Induction-based cooking facilities person besides been installed astatine large railway stations. Most premium services, including Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto and Vande Bharat trains, run with LHB coaches.Also Read | With amended than Rajdhani acquisition & 160 kmph speed, tin Vande Bharat sleeper trains beryllium a game-changer for Indian Railways?

IRCTC brings backmost cooking connected committee trains

IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Kumar Jain told ET that vendors person been permitted to navigator wrong pantry cars, which are already equipped with information infrastructure. As a result, LHB pantry cars are present susceptible of preparing meals onboard portion trains are successful question utilizing electrical power.

Jain added that induction cooking has besides been introduced astatine ample stations. He further said IRCTC has coordinated with Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) to guarantee precedence proviso successful enactment with authorities directives.Railway officials said the nationwide catering web requires astir 1,000 commercialized LPG cylinders each time to tally clump kitchens, basal kitchens and different nutrient work facilities.

In effect to the shortage, IRCTC had directed operators of nutrient plazas, refreshment rooms and Jan Ahaar outlets astatine railway stations to follow induction cooktops and microwave ovens. As a result, astir 60% of nutrient mentation successful railway kitchens has gradually shifted to electricity-based cooking.The proviso disruption has besides affected IRCTC's fiscal performance. The catering concern reported an earnings-before-interest-and-taxes borderline of 6.3% successful the 4th fourth of 2025-26, down from 10.4% a twelvemonth earlier, mostly owed to rising input costs.

Analysts pointed to a broader challenge. The past revision successful catering prices took spot successful 2019. With cooking state becoming much costly and licensees facing unit from higher costs, IRCTC volition request either higher tariffs oregon continued maturation successful volumes to support margins," said a Mumbai-based expert who tracks the company.The concern has besides highlighted gaps successful railway catering infrastructure. Parliamentary information shows that 341 trains crossed the state inactive run without pantry work facilities.