Indian Railways: A surprising and shocking picture has emerged regarding the bedrolls provided during train journeys. To ensure the comfort of passengers traveling in AC coaches, the Railways distributes hundreds of thousands of bedrolls daily; however, a significant number of these items go missing or are stolen. These bedroll kits typically contain bedsheets, a blanket, a pillow, a pillow cover, and a face towel. The Railways has clarified the situation, explaining how the disappearance of these sheets and towels is placing a heavy burden on its finances and operational system.
8 Lakh Bedrolls Distributed Daily
In response to an RTI query filed by The Indian Express, the Railways stated that approximately 8 lakh (800,000) bedrolls are provided to passengers on trains every day. A complete bedroll set usually includes two bedsheets, one blanket, one pillow, one pillow cover, and one face towel.
By this calculation, the Railways must arrange for roughly 16 lakh bedsheets, 8 lakh blankets, 8 lakh pillows, 8 lakh pillow covers, and 8 lakh face towels daily. Managing such a massive operation on a daily basis is a monumental task in itself.
What Goes Missing the Most?
According to Railway data, face towels top the list of missing items. This is largely because of their small size; passengers sometimes inadvertently pack them into their bags, or the towels become so soiled during the journey that they are rendered unfit for reuse. Bedsheets follow face towels as the next most frequently missing item. There had been recent speculation that the provision of towels in Third AC coaches might be discontinued or replaced with paper towels; however, the Railways has clarified its stance, stating that there is currently no such proposal.
What Are the Railway’s Rules to Prevent Theft? The Railways has established a comprehensive procedure to ensure the security and inventory management of these items. After passengers disembark, the linen attendant collects all the bedrolls. The agency contracted to distribute and collect the bedrolls bears the responsibility for maintaining a complete inventory. If any bedroll item is found missing or stolen during inspections, the full cost of the item is deducted from the agency’s bill.
Which regions and divisions report the highest theft?
According to data shared by the Railways, approximately 67% of all linen thefts were recorded in just 10 divisions spread across seven different zones of the country. These key divisions cover areas in Rajasthan (Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaipur), Bihar (Sonpur, Danapur, Ranchi), Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Bilaspur. A significant surge in these theft cases has been observed since 2022. The sharpest increase was recorded in the Bikaner division, where the number of stolen items jumped from 2.99 lakh to 12.34 lakh. This was followed by the Sonpur division in Bihar, where the theft figure rose from 36,448 to 3.01 lakh. However, the trend of theft appeared to be declining in Delhi.
