(a) whether the Railways have retrofitted and provided some extra seats in the second
class sleeper coaches in the trains;
(b) if so, whether any study regarding the lack of space in side-berths has been conducted;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether this move of the Railways is causing inconvenience to passengers; and
(e) if so, the reasons for such steps and the measures being taken by the Railways in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS ( DR. R. VELU )
(a) to (e): In order to enhance the passenger carrying capacity in sleeper class coaches,
additional longitudinal middle berth is being provided in new manufacture of such coaches.
Work is also in progress to retrofit these berths in existing coaches.
The design & dimentions of the longitudinal middle berth and its mounting arrangement has been
duly assessed and tested before finalisation of the same. Due attention hs also been paid to
ensure safety, comfort and ergonomics for the passengers. Moreover, this measure enhances
the carrying capacity of the coach by about 12.5%, thus helping to bridge the wide gap between
demand and supply.