When travelling on long-distance trains, upper berths are in the highest demand. Elderly passengers prefer lower berths. Newlyweds or couples choose side upper and lower berths. Many also prefer this seat for solo trips. However, not everyone gets seats according to their preference. Those who get middle berths understand this predicament. Except for sleeping time at night, disputes often arise among co-passengers over keeping the middle seat open or closed. To address this problem, the Indian Railway Board (Railway Board Commercial Circular No. 60 of 2017) has issued clear guidelines.
Designated sleeping hours
According to railway rules, passengers with middle berths in sleeper or AC coaches can use their seats only during designated hours.
10 PM to 6 AM: This time is designated for sleeping. During this period, middle berth passengers can keep their seats open.
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After 6 AM: Once it's 6 AM, the middle berth must be folded up so that lower berth passengers and upper berth passengers can sit comfortably and travel.
Daytime seating rules
For the rest of the day (from 6 AM to 10 PM), keeping the middle berth folded is mandatory. During this time, three passengers (lower, middle, and upper berth passengers) have the right to sit on the lower berth. If any passenger insists on keeping the middle berth open during the daytime, it goes against railway rules.
Special exemptions
The Railway Board guidelines state that if any sick person, specially-abled passenger, or pregnant woman continues to lie on the middle berth even after the designated time, this rule can be relaxed on humanitarian grounds. If such passengers want to rest during the daytime as well, co-passengers are requested to cooperate with them.
What to do in case of disputes
If any passenger disputes about keeping berths open before or after designated times, complaints can be made to the train's TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiner). The TTE has full authority to enforce official railway rules and resolve problems.
