IRCTC To Pause Cooked Meals On Trains Amid LPG Shortage? Here’s What You Must Know!

Due to a nationwide shortage of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders, many industrial sectors are being affected. After airports and hotels, train services in India are also limiting the use of commercial gas. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s catering operation is temporarily halting cooked meal services. Read on to know more about the suspension.

IRCTC To Halt On-Train Food Service Due To Cylinder Shortage

As per a report by News18, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s catering operation is leading the railways to consider temporarily suspending the cooked meal services on trains and offering refunds to passengers who opted for pre-cooked meals with their tickets. The IRCTC has directed its catering licensees to implement plans to maintain smooth, uninterrupted food service for travellers.

Also Read: What Is Visa-Free Travel & What Should Travellers Know Before Planning Their Trips?

The railway officials have stated that the LPG shortage is impacting IRCTC’s base kitchens, where train meals are prepared before being loaded onto pantry cars. While pantry cars mainly serve as a distribution and reheating channel, they do not carry LPG cylinders. The base kitchen where cylinders are used is being affected, resulting in delayed meal preparation for long-distance trains.

IRCTC Food Plazas To Remain Unaffected

According to the news portal, IRCTC has asked food plazas, Jan Ahaar and other refreshment rooms at railway stations to switch to alternate cooking methods in case of any shortage of LPG. The advisory states that due to the conflicts in West Asia, affecting the regional stability and supply of commercial LPG cylinders. The catering services at all food plazas, refreshment rooms and Jan Aahars remain uninterrupted. The officials have also directed food plazas to provide a sufficient inventory of ready-to-eat (RTE) food items to their units to meet travellers’ demand.

IRCTC provides nearly 17 lakh meals daily nationwide through its base kitchens and catering services. IRCTC has also stated that measures are being taken to maintain catering services at railway stations and eliminate inconvenience to passengers in case of supply disruptions. Caterers are also advised to inform the authorities if the LPG supply to their zones is affected.

Also Read: Women Are Leading India’s Travel Trend As Over 80% Choose Beach Destinations Over Hill Stations

Due to the ongoing West Asia conflict, on Tuesday, the government decided to ration natural gas, giving priority to households with piped gas and vehicles using natural gas.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Cover Image Courtesy:Wikimedia Commons/Adrian Sulc (representative image) 

For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and the latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE.