According to the circular, at the time of preparing the chart, the unutilised quota for female passengers will be released first to the wait-listed female passengers, followed by senior citizens. (PTI)

The railways has decided to offer the unitilised berths in trains under the ladies quota first to women passengers on the waiting list and then to senior citizens. Currently, the quota remains open for booking till the time of preparation of the reservation chart and after that, the unutilised quota is released to the wait-listed passengers, irrespective of their gender. In a circular dated February 15, the railway board has written to all the commercial managers, conveying its decision to “modify the logic of utilising accommodation earmarked under the ladies quota”.

According to the circular, at the time of preparing the chart, the unutilised quota for female passengers will be released first to the wait-listed female passengers, followed by senior citizens. “If there are no such passengers and the berths are left vacant, the on-board ticket checking staff shall be authorised to allot this accommodation to any other lady passenger/senior citizen…,” the circular stated.

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Currently, in all trains with reserved sleeping accommodation, a combined quota of six lower berths per sleeper-class coach and three lower berths per AC 3-tier and AC 2-tier coach is available for senior citizens, female passengers of 45 years of age and above and pregnant women. In Rajdhani, Duronto and fully air-conditioned or express trains, four lower berths are earmarked under this quota in AC 3-tier coaches.