With a view to meet the requirements of senior citizens, ladies passengers above the age of 45 and pregnant women travelling alone in trains, a reservation quota of two lower berths per coach in Sleeper, 3AC & 2AC classes was earmarked for these categories of passengers in all trains having sleeping accommodation in 2007. Recently, this accommodation earmarked in Sleeper class has been enhanced to four lower berths per coach instead of two lower berths per coach as per earlier provision. There is, however, no change in the number of lower berths earmarked in 3AC and 2AC classes.
Complaints were being received that in case two senior citizens (husband and wife) want to book berth under this quota, they are denied this facility despite the fact that both of them are senior citizens. It was, therefore, being requested that this facility should be provided even when two senior citizens are going together.
The reason for allowing senior citizens to book tickets under this quota only when travelling alone was that since only two/four lower berths per coach are being earmarked, there is a possibility that when two senior citizens travelling together book the ticket, they may get a scattered accommodation in two different coaches where the lower berths might be available. This will be the cause of complaint and then references will be received as to how the railway is facilitating two senior citizens by giving them scattered accommodation in two different coaches.
However, keeping in view the demands for providing this facility even when more than one passenger are travelling, it was decided that the facility of booking tickets under senior citizen quota may be provided where in a single application, even if two passengers are in combination of senior citizens /female passengers above the age of 45 years/pregnant women. This facility can be availed only if both the passengers intending to avail this facility are eligible to book berth under senior citizen quota i.e. either both of them should be senior citizens or ladies above the age of 45 or pregnant women or a combination of one senior citizen and one lady above the age of 45 or pregnant women, etc.
From above, it is evident that vide New Commercial Circular No. 51, of Railway Board 2015, the scope of facility already available to senior citizens, female passengers above the age of 45 years and pregnant women to book accommodation under senior citizen quota has been enhanced. Earlier senior citizens /female passengers above the age of 45 years/pregnant women could book accommodation under this quota only when travelling alone whereas now they will be able to book accommodation even when two passengers of these categories (either both from the same category or combination of one from any two categories) are travelling.
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