NEW DELHI: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has asked all its licensees to adopt alternate cooking methods such as microwave ovens and electric induction systems at railway food centres, following a reported cut in liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict.The directive applies to food plazas, refreshment rooms and Jan Aahar outlets across railway stations, the agency said.The move comes as the widening crisis in the region disrupts energy supplies, with hotels, restaurants and roadside eateries across India reporting difficulties due to a shortage of LNG supplies.Earlier, railway officials also said that 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.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.Earlier, Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said that India is diversifying its energy import sources beyond West Asia. He assured that domestic gas supplies remain stable, with uninterrupted supplies of compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped natural gas (PNG) continuing across the country.