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Pregnant women will soon be able to book lower berths on Indian Railways trains online, the Indian Express reported on 9 October 2026.
Quick Facts
| Decision | Lower berth quota opened to pregnant women for online booking |
| Railway Board order | 28 September 2026 |
| Earlier rule | Counter booking only, with a medical certificate |
| Who else gets the quota | Senior citizens; women aged 45 and above |
What Has Changed
The Railway Board has asked the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC to modify all online booking portals so that pregnant women can choose a lower berth.
Until now they could do so only at railway counters, and had to submit a pregnancy certificate from a registered medical practitioner.
The board has also dropped the requirement to show proof of pregnancy when booking at a counter.
How It Came About
On 16 September the Delhi High Court issued notice to the Railways on a public interest petition seeking an online facility. The board’s order followed twelve days later.
“It has been decided that pregnant women may also be permitted to avail the facility to book accommodation under combined lower-berth quota through online as well as offline mode of booking,” the order said.
What Passengers Should Know
- The change will take some time to appear on booking portals and apps
- Passengers who book under the quota may still be asked for proof during the journey
- Those who cannot produce it may face action under the Railways Act
Source: Indian Express (9 October 2026).
Featured image: Indian Railways coaches at a station in 2010 (file photo). Photo by krebsmaus07, licensed under CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.