As the fallout from the West Asia conflict continues to impact India’s energy supply, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) issued an emergency advisory on March 11, 2026. The agency warned that onboard meal services across the Indian Railways network may be disrupted due to a critical shortage of commercial LPG.
Key Measures for Passengers
To manage the potential crisis, IRCTC has implemented the following protocols:
- Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Mandate: All static catering units, including Food Plazas and Jan Ahaars, have been ordered to stock up on ready-to-eat meals. This ensures passengers can still be served even if kitchens cannot operate regular stoves.
- Automatic Refunds: Passengers who pre-booked meals while purchasing tickets will receive full refunds if their meal service is cancelled due to fuel shortages.
- Base Kitchen Impact: IRCTC’s massive network of base kitchens, which prepares approximately 17 lakh meals daily, is heavily reliant on commercial LPG—the supply of which has been restricted by the government to prioritize domestic households.
Broader Context: The Energy Squeeze
The railway advisory follows several major government interventions triggered by the US-Israel-Iran war:
- Essential Commodities Act: Invoked on March 10 to divert all available hydrocarbon streams toward domestic cooking gas.
- Refill Restrictions: The minimum waiting period for a domestic LPG cylinder refill has been extended to 25 days to prevent hoarding.
- Commercial Shortages: Hotels, restaurants, and now industrial-scale catering (like the Railways) are facing significant supply cuts as the Strait of Hormuz remains a volatile zone.