Railways Introduces Free Sleeper to Third AC Auto Upgrade Policy

21 May 2025 CW Team

Indian Railways has introduced an auto-upgrade policy allowing confirmed Sleeper Class passengers to be moved to Third AC at no additional cost. The move aims to improve travel comfort and optimise seat occupancy, especially during off-peak periods when higher-class seats remain vacant.

The system works during preparation of the first reservation chart, about four hours before departure. Passengers must opt-in during booking by selecting “Consider for Auto Upgrade”; otherwise, the system defaults to “Yes”.

Upgrades are limited to two class levels. For example, a Sleeper ticket holder may be moved to Third AC, and from there to Second AC, depending on availability. However, upgrades to First AC are only allowed from Second AC.

The selection process is random and handled by the Passenger Reservation System, factoring in seat availability and booking status. Importantly, no extra charges apply.

This policy may limit current booking options in higher-class coaches like Chair Car, Third AC, and First AC, though Sleeper and Second Sitting classes remain unaffected.

While welcomed by many, some passengers have concerns about berth changes. Travellers are advised to check the final reservation chart before boarding.

Source:UrbanPost

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..