Indian Railways Restores Emergency Quota for Vande Bharat Sleeper

In a major move to assist passengers with urgent travel needs, the Ministry of Railways has announced the restoration of the Emergency Quota (EQ) in Vande Bharat Sleeper and Amrit Bharat trains. Previously, these trains primarily offered specialized quotas only for women, persons with disabilities (Divyangjan), senior citizens, and duty pass holders.

Recognizing the growing demand and operational requirements, the Railway Board has issued detailed guidelines to all zonal offices to ensure the availability of berths for emergency travel. The allocation of these berths varies based on the train type and the day of the week.

The quota for these premium trains is categorized by coach class and adjusted for higher weekend demand: First Class AC: 4 berths on weekdays; increased to 6 berths on weekends.Second Class AC: 24 berths on weekdays; increased to 30 berths on weekends.Third Class AC: 24 berths on weekdays; increased to 42 berths on weekends.The Ministry emphasized that this decision was taken after considering passenger requirements and berth availability to ensure that those with genuine emergencies are not left stranded. Zonal railways have been instructed to implement these changes immediately to streamline the ticket confirmation process under the EQ category.