In big relief to passengers, Indian Railways today resumed selling of general tickets and allowed boarding in ureserved coaches. The railways, in wake of Covid, had turned unreserved coaches into reserved ones. The latest decision has been taken in wake of potential rush ahead of mega festival of Holi.
"In trains already restored with regular train numbers, second class accommodation shall be earmarked reserved or unreserved as per applicability during pre-pandemic period," Railways said in a circular.
Apart from this, second class accommodation of special trains currently running as holiday special trains will also be earmarked and reserved or unreserved as per policy, it added.
In regular trains, general coaches shall be earmarked as reserved or unreserved as these were prevailing during pre-pandemic period, a railway spokesperson said.
Explaining further, he said for example, if a train had four unreserved general seating coaches during pre-pandemic period, but are now being operated as 2S reserved class, these shall be restored as unreserved coaches with effect from Advance Reservation Period (120 days hence) or no booking date (date from which no passenger has booked reserved ticket in 2S class).
"However, if a train had few GSCZ or similar type of coaches running as reserved second sitting coaches (2S class) in pre-Covid times, these shall continue as reserved sitting coaches in those trains even now," the spokesman added.
In holiday specials or other special trains, general coaches shall be reserved or unreserved as prevailing during pre-pandemic period, he said
