I travelled by 2604 Hyderabad-Chennai express on 30.04.2010. My ticket was wait listed at No.3 at the time of booking and on boarding it was RAC 71. Before me there were only around 11 passengers, but I was not alloted berth till the train reached Chennai. It is a regular practice in this train the RAC passengers are not alloted berth. It is surprsing how there was not even 5 vacant berths to acomadate 11 RAC passengers! The malpractice followed by TTE is that waitlisted passengers are allowed to baord the train and berth is allotted on payment of Rs.200/-. Such unautorized passengers are given berth without endorsement on ticket by TTE. The said practice prevails in every Train in Hyderabad - Vijayawada region. One can appraoch a TTE with Rs.200 and get berth if he has waitlisted ticket or even un reseved open ticket. Another ineteresting aspect in this route is TTE never comes and checks the ticket if it is weekend as there is heavy rush so that he can allot vacant berth to unauthorized passengers. There must be some system in the Railways to prevent misuse of RAC allotment to vacant berths. To verify the fact anyone casn appraoch a TTE in this sector with Rs.200 for a sleeper class berth and he is assured of berth. If the practice cannot be stopped, the Railways may minimize alloting RAC seats and carry surprize checks in such trains whether the TTE has alloted vacant berths to genuine RAC passengers.