Indian Railways launch 'Baby Berth' for infants

To make train journey more comfortable for passengers travelling with infants, the railways has fitted foldable "baby berths" on the side of lower main berths of the Lucknow Mail as part of a pilot project.

Based on the feedback of passengers on the "new product", plans will be drawn to expand the concept to other trains, officials said.

The "baby berth", which are hinged to the lower main berths, can be folded and secured with a stopper when not in use. It has been is aligned the main berth.

On the Lucknow Mail, two "baby berths" of 770 mm in length, 255 mm in width and 76.2 mm in height were fitted to 12 and 60 main berths of the second cabins on both ends of coaches on April 27.

"This has been done on a trial basis and will be expanded once we get positive feedback from passengers. Once we try it out more and record the feedbacks, we will put the necessary details on CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems) where it can be booked on request," an official of the Northern Railway said.

"The (booking) system will be like the one we currently use to offer senior citizens lower berths. So, once, a passenger says yes to travelling with a child, we will offer the berth to them. However, it is now at a nascent stage," the official said.

Currently, there is no mechanism to book the lower berth for women who are travelling with infants.