Pregnant travellers to get lower‑berth seats online after Railway Board order

Railway Board has approved that pregnant women can now book lower‑berth seats through the same online portals used by senior citizens and women over 45. The board instructed the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to add the option to all Indian Railways booking sites and apps. Earlier, a pregnant passenger had to visit a railway counter, show a doctor’s certificate and could only secure a lower berth offline. The combined lower‑berth quota also covers senior citizens and female passengers aged 45 and above, who already enjoyed online access. The change came after the Delhi High Court issued a notice on September 16 in a public‑interest litigation demanding online facilities for pregnant travellers. In its September 28 order, the board said proof of pregnancy will no longer be required at the reservation counter, mirroring the treatment for other quota holders. Implementation may take time as CRIS and IRCTC update their systems. Failure to produce proof when asked could trigger action under Section 138 of the Railway Act 1989. The quota reserves 6‑7 lower berths per sleeper coach, 4‑5 in AC 3‑tier and 3‑4 in AC 2‑tier for these passengers; senior citizens and women over 45 receive these seats automatically if available. A separate reservation quota also exists for persons with disabilities, with four berths or seats in each class on mail, express, Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains. ## Context The lower‑berth quota helps passengers avoid climbing stairs, which is especially important for pregnant women. Allowing online booking puts them on equal footing with other protected groups and reduces the need to visit stations in person.