Accessible Indian Railways … Never to be a Reality?
[Flashback - 2005]
D.N.I.S. News Network dated 15/12/2005
- "Following an affidavit filed by the Indian Railways in the Madras High Court in a hearing on a Public Interest Litigation, an audit team from Disability Law Unit (D.L.U.), South, Vidya Sagar, has found false the claims made in the affidavit about disabled-friendly services at Chennai Central and Egmore stations.
A report prepared by the team, constituting Rajiv Rajan, Dhana Sekar and Manjunathan, says that most of the statements made in the affidavit are incorrect. They visited platforms 6 to 9 where five trains were stationed at the time of visit. These were Thiruvanthapuram-Chennai Mail, Thiruppathur-Chennai, Elagiri Express, Hyderabad-Chennai Chaminar Express, Mysore-Chennai-Thirupathi Express, and Coimbatore-Chennai Cheran Express.
"It was astonishing to note that none of these trains out of which three are connecting links between major cities of South India had no special compartment for disabled people as mentioned in the affidavit. It was also found that disability sign is being used in the normal compartment," the report says.
Another point mentioned in the affidavit is that the wheelchairs have been modified to allow easy entry into the coaches but what the access auditors saw at the Chennai Central was shocking. "Leave alone any new adaptation, the wheelchair had no front wheels," it adds.
"It will be difficult for even a non-disabled person to get into the so-called disabled-friendly coach, as it is in no way different from the normal compartment at least at the doorsteps, excepting for a wider door. It is also interesting to note that the coach is not connected with other coaches in the train. In fact it is an extention of the luggage wagon," the report further adds.
The report also claims that no facility is available to lift a person on wheelchair into this coach. The disabled-freindly coach is actually an unreserved compartment and can accommodate only two disabled people and their escorts. There are incidents when more than 20 disabled people with escorts have travelled by the coach, which has the capacity of carrying only four.
"If this is the case of the two major stations at a place where the regional head quarters is situated, what about other places? What will be the accessibility condition in small places? Can anyone from the railways dare to answer these questions?" concludes the audit report."
A person with disability on wheelchair had to cross the track on wheelchair, and the wheels can get caught between tracks. To travel long distance by train in the late 90s, a person with disability would have to starve for 2-3 days as trains and stations lacked accessible toilets. Also, train berths were too narrow for a person with disability who involuntary movement. So, he would lie on the floor of the train, which can be very painful because of the train’s movement. Getting into the train was another nightmare as it is even now. Just a slip and the person would be under the train between the platform and the wheels.
There was no way a person with disability could get out of the station without crossing a number of railway tracks. Wheelchair’s front wheel used to get caught in one of those tracks. Escaping with minor injuries was considered to be fortunate enough.
Disgusted with the experiences of train travel and with the support of a couple of lawyers, I filed a PIL in 2005 urging the railways to make the stations and coaches accessible.
[Fast-forwarding to Oct 2021]
There are some sporadic changes in railway stations, facilities such as ramps were built in almost all the stations, I believe accessible toilets were also built in major stations and that is when the railways came up with the idea of a special coach for the people with disabilities. To give a little bit of credit to the railways, inside the special coach was kind of accessible but the same story continued to get into the train, which was next to impossible.
Railways are supposed to be one of the largest revenue generators for the government. This implies that lack of funds is not the reason. Given this, we are left to wonder what is stopping this largest network from being accessible.
Unfortunately though most of the issues mentioned above still remain unresolved despite Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which india ratified in 2007.
There are still no accessible ways to enter or exit the coaches. No accessible way to cross the track whatsoever. No braille forms or documents. No sign language interpreters
Vande Bharat 'Express still excludes persons with disabilities totally. A 100% Made in India train (with '100%' Indian priorities for passengers with disabilities!)
While persons with disabilities have 'graduated' from luggage rake to driver trailer coach, there's only 1 space reserved for a wheelchair user in a passenger train of 1128 seats when at least 2 seats per coach must have been reserved and made accessible for persons with disabilities.
It is important to note here that the rakes of these trains are made as a part of "Make in India" campaign and the moto of the government has been "Sab ka Sab ka Vikas". Are persons with disabilities not a part of this motto?
Govt of India is doing so much for sabka saath sabka vikas. Why are the rolling stock not based on universal design? Why not dedicate at least two seats per coach to wheelchair users or mobility impaired people?
Sab ka sat sab ka Vikas is only for non "divyang jan" ?
"Titles are enough for children" - is this the view of Government of India? Are persons with disabilities citizens of India or are we refugees in our own country?
Is the view of government "many persons with disabilities are not considered to be a person before the law and hence can not vote, so why should we do anything for them?" Well, remember your attitude towards persons with disabilities is the reason for us being denied the right to franchise also.
If a person with disability cannot enter a railway station, get from one platform to another and get into the train itself, what is the use of the disability compartment? Or what is the use of reserving berth for persons with disabilities irrespective of the class? When will the railways wake up to the calls of 15 per cent of the population of India?
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