Here’s some good news: The inconvenience caused to large number of passengers travelling in long-distance in trains will be done away with. After receiving several complaints from passengers, the Indian Railways is contemplating reversing its earlier decision of introducing an additional berth in some of the AC III tier and sleeper coaches of mail and express trains.

This additional berth was introduced with an aim of cutting down on waiting lists and refunds. However, it ended up being more of a hurdle. “The major problem is the lack of space. Elderly passengers and women find it difficult to climb on to the middle berth and there is hardly room to sleep comfortably,” said Anjali Mehta, a resident of Borivili.

This decision will, however, mean reduction of nearly 2,367 and 1,926 berths from the existing capacity of the sleeper class and AC III tier coaches of Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR) respectively, it will in turn mean comfortable journey for passengers.

In 2007, acting on the railway minister’s decision, the coaches were modified in such a way that an additional berth could be accommodated between the two rows of berths along the corridor.

Hence, WR introduced the additional berth in 263 coaches including 10 AC III tier coaches, whereas CR had put them in 210 sleeper class and four AC III tier coaches.

The work of adding the berths was outsourced by WR and CR to Oriental Veeniar Private Limited and Barath Earth Moves Limited (BEML). After the modification the number of berths (seats) per coach was increased from 72 to 81.

“All the coaches to be manufactured at various production units have been asked not install the additional berth. The railway board had recently modified the design by introducing steel frames and better seating arrangement. Also, no fresh contracts have been awarded for adding berths to other coaches,” said a highly placed source.

When asked whether another contract will be awarded for removal of the additional berths, Sriniwas Mudgerikar, chief public relations officer, CR, said, “We are yet to receive written communication from the board as to whether these berths have to be removed.”

Shyam Gupta, chief public relations officer of WR said, “Earlier, two passengers would travel on one berth. But after the coaches were modified this additional passenger could occupy the extra berth during the night journey.”

Sources in the railways pointed out that the decision was taken after the railway users consultative committees demanded the removal of the additional berth as it was causing a lot of inconvenience to the passengers, especially in the sleeper class.

Source: DNA, Mumbai, Wednesday, February 4, 2009.