From Bedsheets To Blankets: How 1.27 Crore Missing Items Created A Rs. 104 Crore Problem For Railways

For millions of Indians, an overnight AC train journey starts with a familiar service.

A fresh bedsheet, pillow cover, blanket and towel are placed at the berth.

But behind these simple essentials is a huge system of buying, washing and managing railway linen.

An RTI investigation by The Indian Express has revealed that 1.27 crore bedsheets, towels, blankets and pillow covers went missing from Indian Railways' AC coaches between January 2022 and May 2026.

The findings have raised questions about how railway linen is managed, the cost involved and what steps are being taken to prevent such losses.

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What Happened?

According to The Indian Express' RTI investigation, the missing items included different types of linen provided to passengers travelling in AC coaches.

Bedsheets, towels, blankets, pillow covers and pillows were among the items reported missing in the RTI data.

According to The Indian Express, the newspaper received RTI responses from 54 railway divisions across 16 railway zones, with some divisions providing partial information.

While a single missing bedsheet or towel may seem like a small loss, the scale becomes significant when it involves thousands of trains and millions of passengers.

According to The Indian Express' analysis of the RTI responses, the estimated value of these missing items exceeded Rs 104 crore.

Why Does Railway Linen Go Missing?

According to railway officials quoted by The Indian Express, railway linen theft is linked to passenger misuse and challenges in tracking items.

Bedsheets, towels and blankets are provided for passengers to use during their journey. However, some passengers take these items away after the journey ends.

In a separate incident, a family travelling in the First AC coach of the Purushottam Express was allegedly caught carrying railway linen. A video of the incident later surfaced online.

Another challenge is managing linen across a large railway network.

The items go through several stages, including purchase, storage, distribution inside coaches, collection after journeys and washing.

Tracking every item across thousands of daily train journeys remains difficult.

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The Cost Of Missing Railway Linen

Providing clean linen in AC coaches is a regular operational expense for Indian Railways.

The cost includes purchasing bedsheets, blankets, towels and pillow covers, along with washing and maintenance.

According to The Indian Express' analysis of RTI responses, missing linen items between January 2022 and May 2026 were worth more than Rs 104 crore.

The impact is not limited to financial losses.

Shortages can affect passenger services, as railway staff may need to arrange replacements during journeys.

Indian Railways often outsources linen management to contractors.

According to The Indian Express, railway officials said shortages are recovered from contractors under contract terms, while contractors and attendants told the newspaper that the cost is often deducted from workers' salaries.

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What Does The Law Say About Railway Property Theft?

Taking railway linen or any other railway property without permission can lead to legal action.

The Railways uses the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1966 to deal with cases involving illegal possession of railway property.

According to The Indian Express, the Railway Protection Force has described railway linen theft as a non-bailable offence under the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1966.

The Act allows railway authorities to investigate cases and take action against those involved.

However, enforcing these rules across one of the world’s largest railway networks remains a challenge.

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Can Better Management Prevent Such Losses?

Indian Railways told The Indian Express that it monitors linen services through inspections and management systems and has introduced measures such as CCTV surveillance, the Coach Mitra app and counselling of attendants to reduce theft.

Railway authorities have also focused on improving linen management through better tracking, inspections and upgrades to washing facilities.

However, the findings of The Indian Express' RTI investigation show that maintaining railway services depends not only on infrastructure and technology, but also on responsible use of public property.

A bedsheet or towel taken from a train may appear insignificant.

But when multiplied across millions of journeys, it becomes a loss worth crores.

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