Of an overefficient (overzealous?) Indian Railways… (Updated)
2009 January 3
The Railway Ministry has hit a brainwave: of introducing Side-Middle Berths in their trains – an idea that I am not sure will find favor even in the long run. It’s just a case of overcramping the space!!
Any bets on when the middle berth goes back out the door?
(Link via Such Is Life – from this post, about which I have more things to say, but in a later post.)
Update: Interesting comments have come up from passengers who encountered the new system. See the comments on this post. (Well not the first few; you’ll find the interesting ones as you scroll down.)
Hm. Anyone wants to change the time frame that Suchismita (see comment on this post) put forward (one year) for the middle berth to be yanked back out?
my bet’s a year from now. And, waiting for more of the things you have to say…
Have side middle berths been introduced in all trains already?? Strange times we live to see.
Any idea how they accomodate it with the windows and all?
Well it seems they will be introduced in phases. But yes, it has begun…
Check out Suchismita’s post that I link to. I think she has an image there.
from the looks of it, the side middle berth will only be put up in 3 tier AC and sleeper coaches. The 2tier AC and all elite trains, such as the Rajdhani and Satabdi are exempt from the torture, as far as i know. Some trains in South India already have these in place. And Revathy, i have no idea how they’ll split the window now. Guess we’ll have to wait and watch.
The second post that I link to mentions that the ‘middle berth’ person is supposed to sit with the people on the other side of the coupe – making it four people sitting together on one of the lower berths.
Not comfortable, I am sure.