Representative image of a bed along with a bed sheet and pillow inside a train.
Credit: iStock Photo
The Southern Railway has announced that bed sheets and pillows will be provided to passengers travelling in non-AC sleeper caches on a chargeable basis.
The service will commence from January 1, which will make a major shift from the current system where only AC coaches distribute linen.
This new initiative is expected to benefit a large number of non-AC passengers travelling in trains specially during monsoon and winter season.
The linen distribution will be initiated in 10 express trains and the price for the same has been fixed at Rs 50 for a bed sheet, a pillow and its cover.
A bed sheet alone will cost Rs 20 and Rs 30 of only a pillow is required along with its cover.
According to a report by The New Indian Express, the trains in which the scheme will be initiated are - Chennai-Mettupalayam Nilgiri Superfast Express, Chennai-Mangalore Superfast Express, Chennai Egmore-Mannargudi Express, Chennai Egmore-Tiruchendur Superfast Express, Chennai-Palakkad Express, Chennai Egmore-Sengottai Silambu Superfast Express, Tambaram-Nagercoil Superfast Express, Chennai-Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Express, Chennai-Alleppey Superfast Express, and Chennai Egmore-Mangalore Express.
The scheme has been launched under the New Innovative Non-Fare Revenue Ideas Scheme in 2023-24.
The new initiative is expected to generate Rs 28.27 lakh in revenue for the Chennai Division in the next three years.