[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by Rodeo

Good news guys. There is case raised against it and now the third birth will be removed. Govt. approval is received for the same. This was publised in newspaper as well...

Certainly is a good news. But, it would be interesting to know on what basis was this whole things carried out? Any study was done to check the feasibility or the increase in passenger acceptance? Seems like it is one of the minister-dreams-turned-to-reality-by-subordinate!

If indeed this has been revoked, I wonder how much of man-power and material has been spent for this! Who is going to be accountable for this?

[condor]

@Rajesh, do not copy-paste from another appln / utility. If you do, pls use the remove-text-formatting feature in the message compose box (the crossed out 'A' below the words 'Title' & 'Message' in the compose message window.

Rajesh Rawal : [IRFCA] Indian Railways Photo Gallery - The Great Side Middle Berth Debate

Not so hunky-dory as in that web-page. The coaches are still the same old ones - the old coaches being re-worked on to get the 3 side-berth config.

Two things done there : the upper berth & the new middle-side berth are half their original thickness. Cushioning is reduced. Only the lower berths (side & main) retain their original 3 inch thickness.

To this extra 3 inches gained. the side upper berth has been moved up a little. End result of all this jugaad is that all berths (side & main) are at the same level respectively.

If you want to avoid the side berths, the main berths arent great either. You dont really have sufficient space - your feet still stick out. The grace there is that there's no partition, unlike the side berths.

[maddy42]

Pathetic. Frankly this is painful! If i am not wrong there are quite alot of complaints regarding the same.

[WanderNomad]

I am 6'2" and I always avoid train journeys fearing a side berth.

Looks like I will forget train journeys now on.

[emkay456]

Think SMBs will be history this year as Lalu in a New Year speech has directed Railway Board to discontinue with SMBs looking at the protests of passengers and also the inability of the Reservation System to adapt to the new seat allotments.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by WanderNomad

I am 6'2" and I always avoid train journeys fearing a side berth.

You can always opt / specify the berth you want. And while booking through irctc, you can always avoid booking the ticket if the specified berth is not available.

Here is how - first check the number of berths available on the train. Use the indianrail.gov.in site for this. Only if the available berths are sufficiently big, then go to irctc.co.in, specify LOWER berth, and on the page asking for your name, age, etc, check the option for "Book my ticket only if atleast one lower berth is allotted."

Only 2 out of 8 berths in a coupe are side berths, so it should not be a problem since the normal berths are in a majority.

Of course, at the reservation counter, you will get better counter, provided the reservation clerk is co-operative.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

... And while booking through irctc, you can always avoid booking the ticket if the specified berth is not available...

This would be the safer option.

The reason is that due to the new fiasco of the extra 'bed', the system has not been able to adapt and hence, even if your confirmed ticket says "Beth 9, lower berth" you might find that it is actually side upper (way up!!!).

[amip]

Not really sure how this is safer - even if your irctc ticket (e-ticket) specifies the berth - the seats are still changed in the chart at travel time.

[sudheeshnairs]

Bangalore-Trivandrum Garib Rath. (Yeswantpur-Kochuveli)

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by amip

Not really sure how this is safer - even if your irctc ticket (e-ticket) specifies the berth - the seats are still changed in the chart at travel time.

Darn!!!

You are absolutely correct; I just contradicted myself in my post above!

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

And they are asking for feed back NOW.

PROFORMA FOR OPINION POLL

[anujmishra]

Good News !!!

Lalu has ordered to remove all side third berth in sleeper and ac 3 tier. He said he was receiving many complaints from passenger. So no more side third berth in any train. I read news in yesterday's TOI. I am not finding link now. Will post later.

[speedzak]

All hail Laloo!
Atleast he had the mind to correct this awkward decision. Many politicians would never do this.

I was just thinking how can I complain somewhere about this awkward design when I saw this thread heading. And it's soothing to read the good news!

[Proxima]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

And anyway Tatkal is just a big joke,

Come on. Tatkal is an excellent concept where the IR makes money out of people who CAN afford to pay more for the same services, in most cases because of their affordability are too lazy to book in advance. If it is really an emergency, which occurs once in a while, I am sure one can pay extra. Whats the problem with that? Does not the same hold good for booking flight tickets? You book in advance and pay less. Book late and pay more. Simple.

I think the IR has come leaps and bounds over the last few years and we should commend them for that. The 3 side berth logic is however a bog joke and is downright ridiculous.

EDIT: Thankfully, sense prevailed. It should have cost them a hell of a lot which could be avoided by having pilots. Anyway, alls well that ends well.

[condor]

WanderNomad : I am 6'2" and I always avoid train journeys fearing a side berth.

At 5'8", I avoid side berths. Trick is to ask the person at the reservation counter to avoid side berths.

Allocation of berths has a certain of manual selection. Just that the person at the counter will not tell you that. Be polite, ask for a suitable berth & you should be able to avoid what you dont want.