Nidhi Shree Jha, a journalist by profession, sat down to book train tickets for an important journey back in September. She had carefully planned the trip from Patna to Delhi for herself, her elderly mother and her friend.
Given the long distance and the need for comfort, she chose two lower berths and one side lower berth, ideal for her mother and friend, who would need the extra convenience. The date was set for October 10 on train number 12309, and with over 200 seats available, she felt reassured that her preferences would be met.
However, things didn’t go as planned. When the ticket details came through, Nidhi was surprised to see that instead of the lower berths she requested, they had been assigned two upper berths and one middle berth.
With her elderly mother’s limited mobility, this seat allocation was both inconvenient and unsafe. Aware of the common challenges faced by senior citizens during train journeys, Nidhi felt a sense of frustration and helplessness. She couldn’t imagine how her mother would manage to climb up to the upper berth on a long journey.
Frustrated, Nidhi decided to share her experience publicly. She took to X (formerly Twitter), detailing the incident in Hindi. In her post, she tagged IRCTC and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, hoping that her voice would be heard.
“I booked 3 tickets for Patna-Delhi in train no 12309 for October 10. 1 senior citizen and 2 women are travelling. 2 lower and one side lower berths were booked but got 2 upper and 1 middle berth, while there are more than 200 seats available in the train,” she wrote.
Her post quickly gained traction as others shared similar stories, sparking a conversation around the challenges many passengers face with IRCTC’s seat allocation system. Nidhi’s post highlighted an often-overlooked issue: the need for more reliable seat assignments, especially for senior citizens and those with specific needs.
In response, IRCTC’s representatives acknowledged her concerns and assured her of a review of the allocation system. Nidhi’s post became a voice for those facing similar issues, prompting a broader call for improved consideration of passenger comfort and safety.
“In the computerised reservation system of Indian Railways, there is a provision for allotting lower berth automatically to senior citizens and female passengers above the age of 45 years./pregnant women. It is, however, subject to availability of such lower berths at the time of booking,” Indian Railways responded.
It is, however, subject to availability of such lower berths at the time of booking. (2/4)
— RailwaySeva (@RailwaySeva) September 18, 2024
“It is also informed that at the time of booking reserved tickets through internet, there is a provision to opt for booking only if lower berth is available. In such case ticket shall be booked only if lower berth is available,” Indian Railways further added.