There are more passengers than the number of berths, Sathya observed and said to Prakash. Perhaps they are traveling together, but were allowed berth in a different coach, he guessed.
Let's share this side lower berth till TTE allocates one for me, Prakash said. Meanwhile, Sathya was arranging Chapati and Daal as lunch for both. "When did you prepare this?" Prakash was clearly surprised.
When you were packing your bag, she replied. "But weren't you also packing then? Also, you only had about 10 mins!" he asked in reply.
"Where are you going up to?", an elderly gentleman asked Prakash, cutting into their conversation.
"Secunderabad."
"Me too," the gentleman replied with a slow nod.
The elderly gentleman was accompanied by a young couple. There were three more people in the same bay that makes 6 passengers, but only 4 berths were there.
"No chance, sir. Coach is full. Not even a single berth is available", TTE's voice broke his attention. TTE was replying to a fellow passenger who happens to board the compartment with a waitlisted ticket he bought from the station counter.
Later, he examined the tickets from the elderly gentleman's and the rest. "Sir, I have a partial waitlisted ticket," Prakash said, showing his ticket to be examined.
"I can't confirm the waitlisted ticket. If you find some empty berths, feel free to occupy", saying thus the TTE moved to next bay.
TTE have just checked 6 tickets from 4 berths. Some of them must be traveling on partial waitlisted tickets then. Thinking thus, Prakash initiated a small talk with the rest in his bay.
"Do you have confirmed ticket, sir," Prakash asked the gentleman.
"No," came the reply in a shallow tone as if he is sad. "Three of us are traveling, but we could get only one confirmed ticket," he replied. After a brief chat, Prakash came to know that their status before final charting were WL 13, 14 and 15.
Indian railways have cleverly confirmed WL 11 and 13 so that 5 people can travel with 2 berth allotment!
What an idea Suresh Ji!
(Suresh Prabhu was the railway minister when this trip happened).
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