Good news for pet owners! Indian railways to have pet-friendly trains, details here

North Eastern Railway (NER) has started working on making such a space for dogs by modifying the power carriages of trains to make them pet-friendly, reports IANS.

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An idea for separate places for passengers' pets has apparently received approval from North Eastern Railway (NER) officials. In order to accommodate dog cages for passengers' canines, NER Chief Public Relations Officer Pankaj Kumar Singh indicated that the power carriages of trains would be modified. According to the official, pets would be watched over by guards during the trip, but their owners will need to provide food and other provisions for the animals. 

While the provision to travel with pets was till now available for people travelling in full AC coaches on the reservation of the whole compartment, the new facility is expected to make travelling with pets more economical. According to officials, the North Eastern Railway (NER) workshop has initiated works to make such a space for dogs. The CPRO said the service would be provided on demand.

As per the Indian Railways' rules, the entire coupe-two or four berths-must be reserved in AC First class or First class only if guests are travelling with pets. Furthermore, pet reservations cannot be made in advance. Owners are urged to be at the station on time because reservations for dogs must be made at the counters one hour before the train departs.

The current rules of the railways also say that no pet is allowed in AC two-tier, AC three-tier, AC chair car, sleeper class, and second-class compartments of the trains.

Dog boxes are allowed in second-class luggage, as well as brake vans for passengers to transport their pets. On trains like the Rajdhani and Shatabdi express, there are dog kennels available. The pet parent will be charged Rs 30 per kilogram if the animal is transported in a dog box. In contrast, if the pet is travelling in a passenger carriage with its pet parent, a fee of Rs 60 per kilogram would be applied. 

With IANS inputs