Rly reservation rules under upgradation scheme modified

New Delhi, June 21(UNI) Acting on complaints of irregularities in the automatic upgradation scheme, the railway ministry today passed an order making some modification in reservation rules.

Under the upgradation scheme, wait-listed passengers or those holding a reservation-against-cancellation ticket could get a chance to be accommodated in not only the next highest class but even above that.

In case they did not want so, they have to tick mark the option, but in practice, most of the passengers would leave the space unmarked, but the railway staff would do that and the resulting vacant seats would be sold by them.

Under the modified rule, the passengers would be automatically upgraded to an upper class if there are seats vacant, a railway ministry official said.

Another order has been passed by the Ministry under which the surcharge on sale of tickets under the 'Tatkal' or emergency quota just before a train departs has been reduced to 50 percent.

These measures have been taken to curb profiteering in railway tickets, the official said.

UNI NAZ VD PM2009