Mumbai: A nationwide shortage of LPG cylinders has begun impacting catering operations of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, prompting the railways to consider temporarily suspending cooked meal services on trains and issuing refunds to passengers who had pre-booked meals while reserving tickets.Railway officials said the shortage is affecting IRCTC’s base kitchens where meals for trains are prepared before being loaded onto pantry cars. Pantry cars on trains largely function as distribution and reheating units and do not carry LPG cylinders. However, disruption in LPG supply to base kitchens has begun to affect the preparation of meals meant for long-distance trains.According to railway officials, IRCTC serves nearly 17 lakh meals daily across the country through its network of base kitchens and onboard catering systems. Of this, nearly 20% of the meals are served in the western zone, making the region particularly vulnerable if the shortage persists.A senior railway official said the situation has become serious and could worsen in the coming days.“The issue has become serious and is likely to aggravate if LPG supplies continue to remain tight. Catering services on trains depend on food prepared at IRCTC base kitchens. Any disruption in LPG availability directly impacts meal preparation and supply to trains,” the official said.The railways has already flagged the issue to the Railway Board and suggested a few measures to deal with the emerging crisis.“We have suggested a few measures, including the possibility of temporarily suspending catering services if the shortage continues. In such a situation, passengers who have already booked meals at the time of reservation will be refunded. However, it is for the Railway Board to take a final call and issue guidelines,” the official said.Officials said IRCTC kitchens are closely monitoring LPG supplies and coordinating with vendors, but if the shortage deepens, temporary suspension of cooked meal services on some trains may become unavoidable.
