Your railway privilege pass Shatabdi seats entitlement just doubled if you're a Railway servant in Pay Level in Pay Matrix (PLPM) 11 to 17. The Railway Board issued an order on 30 July 2026 raising the number of CC Class seats you can claim in Shatabdi Express-type trains on Privilege Pass, Post Retirement Complimentary Pass, and Widow Pass from 2 to 4 â bringing it in line with what the same pay levels already get in 3-AC Class on Rajdhani and Duronto Express-type trains.
What Actually Changed
The order, issued under letter No. 2026/E(W)/01/09/6, amends an earlier Board letter (No. 2022/E(W)/01/08/1, dated 28 October 2022). Here's the specific change:
| Before This Order | After This Order | |
|---|---|---|
| CC Class seats in Shatabdi-type trains (PP/PRCP/WP) | 2 | 4 |
| 3-AC Class berths in Rajdhani/Duronto-type trains (PP/PRCP/WP) | 4 | 4 (unchanged) |
The entitlement gap between the two train categories â which existed even though both serve broadly comparable travel classes â has now been closed for this pay range.
Who This Applies To
This covers Railway servants in Pay Level in Pay Matrix (PLPM) 11 to 17, using any of these three pass types:
- Privilege Pass (PP) â for serving railway employees
- Post Retirement Complimentary Pass (PRCP) â for retired railway employees
- Widow Pass (WP) â for widows of railway employees
Duty Passes aren't affected by this change â the Board's letter notes that entitlement on Duty Passes for all categories of Railway servants was already rationalized earlier, so this update specifically closes the remaining gap on PP/PRCP/WP.
Why the Board Made This Change
According to the order, the Board received requests to rationalize CC Class entitlement in Shatabdi-type trains to match the 3-AC entitlement already available in Rajdhani/Duronto-type trains. The matter went through examination in consultation with the Commercial (PM) Directorate of the Railway Board, and with approval from the Competent Authority, the Board decided to bring the two in line â specifically for the PLPM 11-17 category, where the mismatch existed.
The order formally amends Annexure-II of the 2022 letter: entitlement for the number of seats in CC Class of Shatabdi Express-type trains for Railway employees in PLPM 11-17 on PP/PRCP/WP should now be read as 04, instead of 02.
What Happens Next â System Updates
This isn't just a policy statement sitting on paper. The order directs two specific system updates:
- CRIS/PRS (Centre for Railway Information Systems / Passenger Reservation System) must make necessary modifications
- CRIS/HRMS (Human Resource Management System) must update the e-Pass Module accordingly
Both are directed to carry out these changes on an immediate basis, and the order takes effect with the concurrence of the Finance Directorate of the Ministry of Railways. In practice, this means the entitlement change should reflect in the booking and e-Pass systems without a long implementation lag â but if you're booking soon after this order, it's worth confirming with your pass-issuing authority that the system update has actually gone through before you rely on the new entitlement.
What This Means for You
If you're a Railway servant in PLPM 11-17 travelling on a Privilege Pass, PRCP, or Widow Pass:
- You can now book 4 CC Class seats in Shatabdi-type trains, up from 2
- This matches what you're already entitled to in 3-AC Class on Rajdhani/Duronto-type trains
- Duty Pass entitlement is unaffected â this change is specific to PP/PRCP/WP
- If your booking through PRS or the HRMS e-Pass Module still shows the old limit of 2 seats shortly after this order, that's likely a system-update lag rather than a denial of your entitlement â raise it with your welfare/establishment section rather than assuming the rule hasn't changed
This is signed by Rashmi Dahiya, Dy. Director/Estt. (Welfare), Railway Board, and copies have gone to the Railway Board's JS, ED(MPP), ED(PM), and the Computer Cell/C&IS for uploading on the Ministry of Railways' website.
If you're managing your railway travel entitlements more broadly, our Railway Privilege Pass rules, PTO, and HRMS guide covers the full pass system in detail, and our Railway UMID Card guide walks through the identity card that ties into many of these travel benefits. For the broader hub of railway employee resources, visit our Railway section.
For more official railway orders and circulars like this, follow our government news section.