Reservation facilities for Sr citizen and female passengers including pregnant women.

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

RAILWAY BOARD

No. 2007/TG-1/20/P/Pt-II 

New Delhi, dated 13.03.2015.

The Chief Commercial Managers 

All Zonal Railways 

The Managing Director, CRIS,

Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.

Commercial Circular No. 15 of 2015

Sub: Reservation facilities for Sr citizen and female passengers including pregnant women.

Ref: Commercial Circulars No. 6 of 2000, No. 40 of 2007 and No. 65 of 2008

While presenting the Railway Budget 2015-16, Hon’ble MR inter-alia made the following announcement:-

“........we propose to increase the quota of lower berths for senior citizens. TTEs would also be instructed to help senior citizens, pregnant women and differently-

abled persons......the middle bay of coaches will be reserved for women and senior citizens for reason of safety.”

2. The extant guidelines concerning the above issues are as under:-

2.1 Instructions were issued vide CC no. 40 of 2007 dated 18.04.2007 that in all trains having reserved accommodation, a combined quota of two lower berths per coach should be earmarked in Sleeper, AC-3 Tier and AC-2 Tier classes for following category of passengers when travelling alone:

a. Senior citizens;

b. Female passengers 45 years of age and above; and

c. Pregnant women.

2.2 Vide CC no. 65 of 2008 dated 16.12.2008 it was inter-alia advised that the six berth compartment being earmarked for female passengers in SL class of long distance mail express trains should be in the third bay of the coach.

2.3 With a View to facilitate senior citizens and physically handicapped persons travelling on concessional tickets, who have been allotted upper/ middle berth and approaches for allotment of vacant of lower berth(s), the onboard ticket checking staff have been authorised (vide CC no. 06 of 2000 dated 11.05.2000) to allot the same on first come first served basis after making necessary entry in the reservation chart.

3. In compliance of the announcement made in Railway Budget 2015-16, it is desired that:

(i) The existing combined quota of two lower berths per coach in Sleeper class as indicated in para 2.1 above may be enhanced to four lower berths per coach. There will be however, no change in this quota being earmarked in 3A and 2A classes.

(ii) Instructions regarding assisting senior citizens and physically handicapped persons as contained in CC no. 06 of 2000 may be reiterated to all concerned and the scope of these instructions may be expanded by including pregnant women also in these instructions. Hence, onboard ticket checking staff are now authorised to allot vacant lower berths available in the train to- senior citizens, physically handicapped persons and pregnant women (who have been allotted middle/upper berths), on approach, on first come first served basis after making necessary entry in the chart

(iii) All efforts should be made to ensure that the existing reservation quota of six berths for female passengers being earmarked in long distance mail/express trains should be in the middle of the coach and also to the extent feasible, the senior citizen quota should also be earmarked in the middle of the coach.

4. For instructions mentioned in para 3(i) & 3(iii), necessary modifications will be done by Zonal Railways by31.03.2015 and these should be made effective from 01.04.2015 for trains opening for reservation as per Advance Reservation Period (ARP).

5. Necessary instructions may be issued to all concerned,

6. Wide publicity may be given through all possible means to make general public aware of these changes.

(Dr S.K. Ahirwar)

Director Traffic Commercial (G)

Railway Board