Indian Railways has covered a long distance in facilitating seamless travel for its passengers along with carving a gender sensitive image. The national transporter is striving to further push this image by providing six more berths in AC-3 tier of Rajdhani Express, Duranto and other fully air-conditioned trains except the Garib Rath Express.
 
A Railway board circular said that "It has been decided that a reservation quota of six berths in 3AC class of all Rajdhani, Duronto, fully air-conditioned trains should be earmarked for female passengers, irrespective of their age, travelling alone or in a group of female passengers." 
 
A senior Railway Ministry official told IANS that the circular was issued on November 30, adding that the new quota was in addition to a combined quota of four lower berths per coach allotted in AC 3-tier for senior citizens, female passengers above the age of 45 years and pregnant women.
 
Currently, Indian Railways offers a reservation quota of six sleeper class berths in every Mail or Express train for female passengers, travelling alone or in a group. Besides, it also provides a quota of six berths per train in 3 AC of Garib Rath Express trains for women.
 
Earlier in February this year, railways had decided to offer the un-utilised berths in trains under the ladies quota first to women passengers on the waiting list and then to senior citizens. The Railway circular had then stated that 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.