IRCTC redeploys induction stoves on 1,400 trains as commercial LPG shortage hits onboard catering
Middle East-led LPG squeeze forces IRCTC to resume onboard cooking with induction stoves across LHB pantry cars, serving 1.7M meals daily. Catering EBIT margin slid to 6.3% from 10.4% on input cost inflation, with tariffs unrevised since 2019. 60% of cooking has shifted to electric; 341 trains still run without pantry capacity.
What happened
Commercial LPG shortage from Middle East crisis forces IRCTC to resume onboard cooking using induction stoves across LHB pantry cars and stations. Catering EBIT
Key facts
- 1,400 trains
- 1.7 million meals daily
- 1,000 LPG cylinders/day
- 60% shifted to electric
- EBIT margin 6.3% vs 10.4%
- 341 trains without pantry
Why this matters
The 341 pantry-less trains and accelerating electrification of onboard cooking open a window for catering aggregators, induction equipment OEMs, and station-based meal fulfillment partnerships to capture displaced LPG-era volumes.