Union Railway Minister Launches Pilot Project Providing Blanket Covers To AC Class Passengers

In a passenger-friendly initiative, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that all AC class passengers on the Jaipur-Asarwa Express will now be provided with blanket covers. Launched as a pilot project from Jaipur, the move aims to enhance passenger comfort during travel and address long-standing complaints about the cleanliness of railway blankets.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Minister Vaishnaw said, "Today, a new initiative has been started in the railways, which is an attempt to bring a major change in the lives of passengers. The use of blankets in the railway system has always been there, but there has always been doubt about them. To eliminate that, the arrangement of blanket covers has been started in one train as a pilot program from Jaipur Railway Station."

He added that if the pilot project proves successful, the facility will be expanded across the country. The minister also emphasized that facilities at smaller stations, including platform height, signboards, and passenger information systems, should be upgraded alongside such initiatives.

New Platforms and Upgrades in Jaipur

In addition to the blanket initiative, Minister Vaishnaw inaugurated new platforms, platform upgrades and extensions, and an integrated passenger information system at 65 small and medium stations across Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Northern Railway Suspends Platform Ticket Sales

In a separate development, the Northern Railway has temporarily stopped the sale of platform tickets at five major stations from October 15 to October 28, 2025, in view of the heavy passenger rush during the upcoming Diwali and Chhath festivals. The stations affected include New Delhi, Old Delhi, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Anand Vihar, and Ghaziabad.

Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northern Railway, stated that the decision aims to prevent overcrowding. However, people accompanying senior citizens, Divyangjans, illiterate, and female passengers can still obtain platform tickets by approaching the enquiry office.

This dual initiative reflects Indian Railways' efforts to enhance passenger comfort and safety while managing festival rush efficiently.