"But what about child safety?" Netizens react to ‘baby berth’ on Indian Railways' trains

The 'baby berth' experiment by Northern Railway in Lucknow Mail has been going on, receiving mixed reactions from the netizens along with some suggestions and questions.

Image for representation

To make the journey more comfortable for mothers travelling with their babies, Indian Railways has introduced a baby berth in trains. The new small sized berth is still in the trains on an experimental basis. The new experiment by the authorities has been receiving mixed reactions from the netizens. Some have stepped forward to applaud the new step, but some are filled with questions surrounding the experiment.

The photograph of the baby berth was shared by the Northern Railway. The baby berth is a foldable addition on the side of a regular berth with a railing on the side to prevent a child from falling on the side. With the baby berths, women will get more space on the seat and can easily put their children to sleep. 

Good gesture but it's unlikely to work because Indian mothers (most of them, can't say about the posh ones) will sleep with baby on the inner side (towards the wall) of the seat. That way baby is more safe, from the fall as well as from the potential theft. — THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) May 10, 2022

The Northern Railway has installed two baby berth's on Lucknow Mail, measuring 770 mm in length, 255 mm in width and 76.2 mm in height, fitted to 12 and 60 main berths of the second cabins on both ends of coaches. 

"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 feedback, 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.

Reacting to the new experiment, a Twitter user commented, "This is great initiative, which would help most of the parents. Request this initiative should be expanded to Southern Railway trains also in Tamilnadu."

Apart from appreciation, users have other views as well; one of the users said, "Still needs proper designing and barricades with less width, so the child does not slip from the metal rods and also strap required for the child's safety if possible..."

Some of the netizens are not fully satisfied with the design, criticising the design, one of them said, "I can find many flaws, first it will most of the time will tucked inside, very unhygienic, then no mother would make their child sleep outside, with risk of falling and also no cover from upper birth."