The Railway Board’s move comes in response to a growing number of complaints and viral videos showing passengers crammed into reserved coaches, with many forced to stand near train doors, washrooms and narrow passageways due to excessive waiting-list bookings.
Under the revised policy, Indian Railways will impose stricter limits on the number of waitlisted tickets issued in sleeper and AC coaches. In Sleeper Class, waiting-list bookings will be capped at around 30 per cent of the total berth capacity, reducing the number of waitlisted passengers to roughly 150-200 per coach.
A similar change has been proposed for AC coaches. Instead of the existing practice that often allowed waiting lists to swell significantly, the number of waitlisted passengers will now be restricted to a maximum of 60 per cent of the total seats available in the coach. Railway officials believe the measure will reduce overcrowding and improve passengers’ chances of securing confirmed reservations.
The decision follows years of concerns over long waiting lists on popular routes, particularly in Sleeper and Third AC classes. In several cases, sleeper-class waiting lists crossed 700 passengers, while Third AC waiting lists exceeded 400, resulting in severe congestion inside reserved compartments.
Although Indian Railways introduced technical limits on waiting-list tickets in 2015, increasing passenger demand and recurring complaints prompted authorities to revisit the system. Officials said the revised norms are aimed at improving passenger comfort, enhancing safety and ensuring a more orderly travel experience.
Meanwhile, a consumer court has pulled up the Railways for failing to provide confirmed berths to passengers despite valid reservations. The Bhojpur Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed Indian Railways to pay compensation to four passengers who were allegedly forced to complete their journey standing after being denied access to their reserved seats.
According to reports, the passengers were travelling from Vindhyachal in Uttar Pradesh to Ara in Bihar on the LTT–Patna Express when they found their confirmed berths occupied by railway staff. Despite repeated requests, the seats were reportedly not vacated, forcing the passengers to travel without the accommodation they had paid for.
The commission observed that the passengers had suffered “mental, physical, and economic harassment” due to the Railways’ deficiency in service. It directed the North Central Railway and the Ministry of Railways to refund the ticket amount of Rs 1,876.80 with 8 per cent annual interest, besides paying Rs 20,000 as compensation and Rs 15,000 towards litigation expenses within 60 days.