CHENNAI: The restriction imposed by the Indian Railways limiting sleep hours in reserved coaches of trains between 10pm and 6am, reserving the remaining time for sitting accommodation, is a reasonable nexus for ensuring convenience of all passengers, the Madras high court has said.
The court made the observation while disposing of an appeal moved by B Balasubramanian, a resident of Chennai, challenging Paras 652(a) and 652(d) of the Indian Railway Commercial Manual Vol-I, introduced through commercial circular dated August 17, 2017, which imposes the restriction.
“The primary purpose of this restriction is to ensure that all valid ticket holders can travel comfortably without causing inconvenience to co-passengers, as passengers assigned middle and upper berths require seating space during the day,” the court said. A solitary instance, where co-passengers declined to extend sleeping hours for the appellant’s unwell wife, does not justify invalidating a rule designed to serve the broader public interest, the court added.