Emergency Quota In Railways: How The Berths Are Released

The Ministry of Railways in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha has made available some information about release of berths under emergency quota. The Ministry of Railways said that to meet the urgent travel requirements of High Official Requisition (HOR) holders who are on waiting list a limited number of berths are as emergency quota in different trains and in different classes. "In order to meet the urgent travel requirements of High Official Requisition (HOR) holders, which includes central government ministers, judges of Supreme Court/High Courts of various states, members of parliament and other emergent demands, who are on the waiting list, a limited number of berths have been earmarked as emergency quota in different trains and in different classes," the Railways said in a statement.

The Railways Ministry said it releases the emergency quota "in accordance with the priority as per warrant of precedence and well established practice being followed since long". Emergency quota, the Railways said, is "first allotted for self-travel of High Official Requisition holders/members of parliament, etc., strictly as per their inter-se seniority in warrant of precedence."

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Thereafter, other requisitions received from various quarters are considered, the Railways said. The remaining berths under "emergency quota is released taking into account factors like status of passengers travelling, nature of urgency like travelling on government duty, bereavement in the family, sickness and job interview," the Railways said.

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Emergency quota cells are located at zonal/divisional headquarters as well as some of the important non-headquarter stations, Railways said. The emergency quota cells function under the control of a gazetted officer supported by requisite number of staff posted by Zonal Railways.

In another communication, the ministry informed that foreign direct investment (FDI) equity inflow in Railway sector was $389.83 million from April 2014 to December 2017. The FDI investment has been utilised for manufacturing of rolling stock (coaches and wagons including its parts), signalling equipment and locomotives (diesel and electric) and parts of locomotives.