CHENNAI: It is often a grouse among passengers of Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) tickets, travelling in AC classes that they are not given bedroll kit. Unless specifically requested, it is likely the coach attendant gives a cold shoulder to them. But by failing to provide the bed kit, it is conveniently forgotten that affected passengers have already paid for it and are rightly justified in demanding the service.
Recently, Saran Raj, 28, travelled on a 3-AC coach to Kolkata by the Coromandel Express from Chennai. He narrated his experience of requesting the bedroll on multiple occasions. “I repeatedly requested the coach attendant. I was told the reserved passengers will be catered to first and only then RAC passengers will get served,” Saran recalled.
Having recognised this deficiency in service delivery, the railway board has issued a circular to all zonal railways stating that the bedroll kit may be provided to every RAC passenger in AC classes (except AC chair car). Dated November 16, the circular states that the bedroll charges are included in the fare and charged from passengers. The circular also mentions that zonal railway authorities have been asked to ‘ensure compliance’ with this order.
An RAC ticket permits a passenger to travel on the train, but they are not guaranteed a berth. The Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) or train conductor allots such passengers a berth when reserved passengers don’t turn up for the journey or if vacancy arises due to any cancellation. Until that allocation, one berth (side lower) is shared by two RAC passengers. Normally, every 2-tier AC/3 tier AC coach has two berths for RAC passengers.
While denying receiving any complaint from passengers, Senior Southern Railway officials here state the recent circular has only reiterated a similar communication which was first given way back in 2009.
But the content of the recent circular seems not to have penetrated to the TTEs. A couple of TTEs said they haven’t got any official instruction about the provision of bedrolls to RAC passengers and that the provision can’t be ensured until then.