Attention train passengers! Indian Railways issues clarification about supply of blankets & linen

Clarification about blankets and linen in Indian Railways: Recently, some sections of the media have reported that despite the withdrawal of restrictions on linen with immediate effect, Indian Railways is not offering linen to passengers. The Railway Ministry has issued a clarification on this. The ministry stated that for the guidance of all concerned that the supply of linen (Blankets, Bed sheets, etc.) has been resumed by the national transporter from the date the resumption of the Blankets, Bed sheets, Linen was notified. However, according to the Railway Ministry, it is being done in a phased manner in order to ensure the proper quality of linen.

The ministry said this is because a sizeable amount of fresh linen is being procured for railway passengers as a lot of old stock has become unserviceable in the last two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Indian Railways is working overtime in order to bring the service back to 100 per cent as it was in pre-covid times, the Railway Ministry added.

Earlier this month, the Railway Ministry announced that Indian Railway has decided to withdraw the restriction with regard to the supply of linen, bed-sheets, blankets as well as curtains inside the train coaches with immediate effect and the same may be provided to passengers as per applicability during the Pre-Covid period.

To prevent the spread of Covid-19, former Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had decided to withdraw the provision of blankets, bed-sheets and linen along with curtains in AC coaches of all Indian Railways trains. However, arrangements were made by the national transporter so that blankets are provided to train passengers on demand. Railway passengers were advised by the rail authorities to bring their own blankets for their long train journeys in their own interest. Some extra washed bedsheets, however, were kept for exigencies, the national transporter had earlier stated.