ECoR to extend unreserved sleeper facility to 3 more trains

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) is planning to extend unreserved sleeper class facility for short-distance passengers to three more trains plying through the zone, officials said.

The short-distance passengers can avail sleeper class journey in the three trains by paying a little extra amount on the general second class ticket fare, an ECoR official said.

He said the facility is expected to be commenced from the last week of February and the first week of March next year.

The facility will be available in Bhubaneswar- Rameswaram Express between Bhubaneswar and Berhampur from March 6, Puri-Ahmedabad Express between Puri and Berhampur from February 23 and Tirupati-Puri Express between Berhampur and Puri from February 18, the official said.

The tickets for the journeys will be available at unreserved ticket counters in Puri, Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road and Berhampur railway stations, the official said, adding that passengers can board only the S6 coach of the three trains for availing the facility.

The official, however, clarified that passengers with the tickets travelling in other coaches of the trains or exceeding the limit of the journey will be fined.

ECoR had first introduced this facility in Konark Express between Bhubaneswar and Berhampur in 2011-12.

After getting a good response to the initiative, it had extended the facility to Visakha Express between Bhubaneswar and Palasa from November 4, 2014.

Since then, the facility was extended to five more trains, including Prashanti Express between Berhampur and Bhubaneswar, Rayagada-Vijayawada Express between Rayagada and Visakhapatnam and Visakhapatnam-Nizamuddin Express between Visakhapatnam and Rayagada on both directions.

With the addition of three more trains soon, the total number of trains with such a facility will go up to 10.