New Delhi: There may be merits to sleeping early, but according to an Indian Railways circular, passengers with reserved berths won’t have the option of calling it a night before the clock strikes 10 at night. Moreover, they will not be allowed to sleep after 6 am.
This is being done to ensure that sitting arrangements are made, for a longer period of time, for passengers whose bookings have an RAC (Reservation against Cancellation) status. Earlier, passengers had the option of sleeping at 9 pm if they wished to.
The circular, signed by Railway Board member and Director Passenger Marketing Vikram Singh, said the Ministry of Railways had decided that Para 652 of the Indian Railway Commercial Manual Vol. 1 be amended.
“Sleeping accommodation between 2200 hours and 0600 hours and sitting accommodation for the rest of the period is provided for passengers in the reserved coaches having sleeping accommodation. On the side lower berths on which passengers have been booked under Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC), during the day time, sitting accommodation is also provided for those booked on the upper berth,” the circular said.
The circular went on to say that those booked on the side upper berths will not have any claim on the side lower berth seats between 10 pm and 6 am.
While the circular laid out the rules clearly, stating that sleeping time will be strictly limited between 10 pm and 6 am, it urged passengers to cooperate with passengers who have special needs.
“Passengers are… requested to cooperate with sick, persons with disability and pregnant ladies in case they want to sleep beyond permissible time limits.”
Anil Kumar Saxena, Indian Railways Director General (PR), told News 18, “This has been done to ensure that passengers who have bookings under RAC status will have a place to sit for a little while longer. People are being told not to sleep during the day since it takes up space for people who would otherwise want to sit.”
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