KAKINADA: In a major operational lapse, more than 25,000 bedsheets valued at Rs 92 lakh have gone missing or been misused over the past year within the Vijayawada division of South Central Railway (SCR), official sources confirmed. The bedsheets, each worth Rs 360, were intended for passengers in AC coaches and managed by Impressions Pvt. Ltd., a Haryana-based firm contracted to handle railway linen services. The issue surfaced in the Vijayawada division, but similar lapses are reportedly occurring across the country.
Over 170 bedroll attendants, appointed by the contractor, were responsible for issuing and collecting the linen on key trains. Senior Section Engineer M Lova Prasad told TNIE, that the bedsheets are railway property and that the loss amount will be recovered from the contractor’s dues. “An internal review is underway to prevent further misuse,” he said.