Rlys may scrap decision to add berths in 3-tier coaches

NEW DELHI: The Railways' project of adding a third berth to increase the capacity of sleeper coaches from 72 to 81 and 3AC coaches from 54 to 71 is likely to be scrapped.
Some coaches have already been redesigned with additional berths added to them. The project was taken up as railway minister Lalu Prasad wanted to keep passenger fare static yet enhance railways' earnings.But it has not jelled with passengers. A survey by the Southern Railway revealed that over 90% of the passengers were against it.
The third berth on the side has led to congestion in the coaches. There is also confusion as the berth numbers change in the final chart at the time of departure when the newly-designed coaches are added in between the rakes, leading to frequent quarrels among passengers. Even Ticket Inspectors have lodged complaints with the Railway Board about it, sources said.
But railways' are yet a final decision in the regard. "We are still considering it," Lalu said in Patna recently. Senior Rail Bhavan officials also said as much on Thursday.
The railways had initially announced that it will redesign all the existing 34,000 coaches of these two classes to accommodate more passengers and all new coaches would be made with this additional facility. It was planned to make 1,500 AC3 and 1,200 sleeper coaches by March/April this year. A lot of money has already been invested in the venture.
Sources said several old coaches were redesigned and attached to trains on crowded passenger routes, like Mumbai-Delhi, Patna-Delhi and Delhi-Kolkata.
Redesigning one coach cost the railways about Rs 1 lakh. Though exact figures were not available, the railways by March end were expected to have redesigned 2,700 coaches. Sources said though it is formally not yet scrapped, they have been told to go slow on this venture.