Twitter user calls out IRCTC after senior citizens of his family allotted upper berths. Here's the response

The IRCTC explained to the complainant that the likely reason for this was that lower berths were not available in the said train at the time of booking.

Responding to a Twitter user's criticism after senior citizens of his family were allotted upper berths in a train, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) explained to him that this happened likely due to non-availability of lower berths in the said train at the time of booking.

Representative Image(Arijit Sen/HT Photo)

“@IRCTCofficial @AshwiniVaishnaw What kind of software is being used by you for generating Ticket? An old woman of age 70 has been alloted side upper berth? Will you at a age of 70-80 be able to climb to the upper birth? As entered 2 ladies are there 1- My mother & 2-my granny,” Twitter user malayaranjanpati posted, tagging both IRCTC and railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

“Both of them have been alloted upper berth! How will a old woman will climb and how another Arthritis pateint will climb? please answer me! moreover a old man of age 79 he has also been given upper birth,” he added.

The IRCTC responded to the tweet through RailwaySeva, the Indian Railways' official Twitter account to assist passengers. “In the computerised reservation system of Indian Railways, there is a provision for allotting lower berth automatically to senior citizens and female passengers above the age of 45 years., even if no choice is given. It is, however, subject to availability of such lower berths at the time of booking,” an IRCTC official replied through RailwaySeva.

The official further explained that in trains, the ticket checking staff has been empowered to allot lower berths, if available, to senior citizens who got booked on upper/middle berths.

Meanwhile, malayaranjanpati also said that four of his family members were travelling in this train; of these, three were accommodated in the same coach (B5), while the fourth, his grandmother, was in another coach (B2). He demanded a replacement ticket with all the conditions fulfilled.

On this bit, there is no response yet from IRCTC.

In a similar case in September 2021, another Twitter user slammed IRCTC after middle, upper and side lower berths were allotted to three senior citizens. This happened despite the said user opting for lower berths for each of the three elderly passengers while booking the ticket, and availability of 102 berths at the time of booking.