S Rlys plans sanitised bedrolls in non-AC sleeper class too

Effective from January 1, in a first of its kind services in Indian Railways, sanitiozed bedrolls would be supplied to Non-AC sleeper class passengers to enhance their comfort. For the first time in India, it will be rolled out by the Chennai Division of Southern Railway, which termed it as a pioneering service to enhance comfort and hygiene for Sleeper Class passengers. Starting from January 1, 2026, Non-AC Sleeper Class travellers can request sanitized, ready-to-use bedrolls on an On-Demand – On-Payment basis. Till now, Sleeper Class passengers did not have access to organized provision of bedrolls during their journeys. To address this, Chennai Division implemented a pilot project under the New Innovative Non-Fare Revenue Ideas Scheme (NINFRIS) during 2023–24. The pilot project received an overwhelmingly positive response from passengers, prompting the Railways to introduce this service as a regular Non-Fare Revenue (NFR) initiative, a Railway release said. The benefits of the service included enhanced comfort for Sleeper Class Passengers, Affordable, ready-to-use bedrollsbavailable on demand, Improves overall travel experience, besides generating additional revenue for Indian Railway. Under this initiative, a licensee will manage the entire process, including procurement, mechanized washing, packing, loading, distribution, and storage of bedrolls. The service will initially be implemented on ten trains maintained by Chennai Division for a period of three years, generating an annual license fee of Rs 28,27,653. There are three type of packages. 1. One bedhseet, one pillow and one pillow cover (Rs 50), 2. One pillow and one pillow cover (30) and 3. one bed sheet (Rs 20). This will be introduced in Chennai-Coimbatore Nilgiris Superfast express, Mangalore Superfast express,bMannargudi express, Tiruchendur express, Palghat express, Silambut Superfast express, Tambaram-Nagercoil Superfast express, Trivandrum Superfast express, Alleppey Superfast express and Mangalore Express (West Coast). The bedroll facility would be provided in these trains on both the directions. With this initiative, Chennai Division continues its commitment to practical, passenger-focused improvements, while strengthening revenue through innovative services.