Delhi High Court Questions Railways On Lower Berth Access For Pregnant Women

Under official Indian Railways guidelines, lower berth priority is legally extended to senior citizens, women aged 45 and older, and pregnant women. To accommodate this vulnerable demographic, Indian Railways reserves six lower berths in every Sleeper class coach and three lower berths in 3AC and 2AC coaches. For premium fully air-conditioned services like Rajdhani and Duronto trains, this dedicated quota increases to four lower berths per coach. Despite these provisions, travellers have frequently faced hurdles in securing these seats directly through digital portals.

Shift From Manual Booking To Smart Systems

Historically, pregnant passengers had to visit physical Railway Reservation Centers and submit medical certificates alongside identification to claim their priority. Although Indian Railways introduced a smart automated system in December 2025 to assign lower berths when available even without a specific booking selection, passengers still heavily rely on Travelling Ticket Examiners for seating adjustments. The Delhi High Court strongly emphasized that since lower berth prioritization is an established policy, the railway administration must ensure its seamless implementation across all digital booking platforms. Furthermore, Indian Railways does not enforce a strict gestational timeline for train travel, leaving crucial safety and transit decisions entirely to the passenger and their medical advisor.