Ministry of Railways

Indian Railways offers various facilities for Divyangjans to make its services more convenient and accessible for differently-abled passengers

Specially designed coaches, concessional tickets and reservation quota are some of the facilities offered

Railway stations made more accessible by wheelchairs, battery operated vehicles and Yatri Mitra Sewa

03 DEC 2019

Encouraged by Accessible India Campaign launched in 2015 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, Indian Railways have been providing facilities/services to Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) so as to enable them a barrier free transportation across the Railway network. To make its services more convenient and accessible to differently-abled passengers (Divyangjans) at railway stations, Indian Railways offers the following facilities for the Divyangjans.

Also check: Facility for Disabled and Senior Citizens on Trains and at Railway Stations

• Specially designed coaches known as SLRD coaches with wider entrance doors to allow a wheel chair to enter, wider aisles, modified toilet and with 4 berths, the lower two for persons with disability and upper berths for attendants have been attached in almost all Mail/ express trains except Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Jan shatabdi Express trains and Duranto Express trains.
• Instructions have been issued that in all mail/ express trains, the SLRD coaches should be treated as unreserved coaches earmarked for exclusive use of persons with disability. In case of Garib Rath express trains which are fully reserved trains, these coaches are treated as reserved for booking by persons with disability (Divyangjans) travelling on the prescribed certificate on payment of full fare of 3 AC class of Garib Rath Express on first come first served basis.
• Separate counters are earmarked at various Passenger Reservation System (PRS) centres for dealing with the reservation requisitions received from Persons with Disability and Senior Citizens, if the average demand per shift is not less than 120 tickets wherever feasible. ln case there is no justification for earmarking of an exclusive counter for any of these categories of persons including handicapped persons, one or two counters depending upon the total demand are earmarked for dealing with the reservation requests for all these categories of persons.
• A reservation quota of four sleeper class berths and two berths in 3 AC has been earmarked in all trains running on non-suburban sections for persons with disability performing their journey on concessional ticket. The person accompanying the person with disability as escort is also allotted the berth out of this quota.
  Instructions have also been issued that in the tickets issued through PRS, to extent feasible, one lower berth should be allotted to person with disability and the person accompanying the person with disability as escort should be allotted middle/upper berth near the person with disability subject to availability of accommodation.
• After departure of train, if there are vacant lower berths available in the train and if any person with disability booked on the authority of concessional ticket, who has been allotted upper/middle berth, approaches for allotment of vacant lower berths, the Conductor/Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) has been authorized to allot the vacant lower berth to them after making necessary entries in the chart.
• The facility to book concessional e-tickets online using the photo-identity card issued by Railways has also been introduced to facilitate persons with disability.

As per Railway rules, concession in fares is admissible to four categories of Persons with Disability. The names of these four categories, and the element concession admissible, are as under :-

To make accessibility better, the following facilities are being served currently at stations:-

• Wheel chair on platforms: Around 7000 wheelchairs have been provided at more than 5400 railway stations. The wheelchairs are provided by Railways and are given to attendant of the Divyangjan absolutely ‘free of cost’ to escort them from and to the trains. However, when attendants are not willing or available, Sahayaks can be hired on nominal rates to escort the Divyangjans.
• In addition a scheme of Yatri Mitra sewa is also available, wherein a sahayak provided by IRCTC assists the person with disability by providing wheel chair cum porter services at major stations. The Yatri Mitra seva service can be booked on IRCTC e-ticketing website and 139 (IVRS and SMS) or through a mobile.
• Battery operated Vehicle (BOV) vehicles are available at some stations and Powers have further been delegated to Zonal Railways for provision of BOV free of charge for person with disability through CSR route/commercial publicity route and through chargeable route.
• In addition to above, it has been decided to provide following short term facilities for persons with disability at stations (Comprehensive instructions for passenger amenities and user facilities at stations dated 09.04.2018):

1. Provision of standard ramp with railing for barrier free entry.
2. Earmarking of at least two parking lots for vehicle used by disabled persons.
3. Provision of non-slippery walkway from parking lot to building.
4. Provision of signage of appropriate visibility.
5. Provision of at least one drinking water tap suitable for use by a disabled person.
6. Provision of at least one toilet on the ground floor.
7. “May I help you” booth.

• In the long term the following facilities are being planned for persons with disability at Non-suburban Grade (NSG)1 to NSG 4 category stations:

1. Provision of facility for inter-platform transfer.
2. Engraving on edges of platforms.

An Executive Director level committee is also formed to frame guidelines regarding Accessibility standards over Indian Railways. ED /Station development is the convenor of the committee.

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Indian Railways reaffirms its commitment to the cause of empowering of Divyangjans through the ‘Accessible India Campaign’.

PIB

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Facilities extended for the persons with disability by Ministry of Railways include:-

(A) Concessions:

Concessions in Rail fare have been extended to persons with disability, which are as under:

CONCESSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITY

Category of persons with disability

1. Orthopedically handicapped/Paraplegic persons who cannot travel without escort – for any purpose. However, can book ticket with or without escort.

2. Mentally retarded persons who cannot travel without escort- for any purpose. However, can book ticket with or without escort.

3. Blind persons travelling alone or with an escort – for any purpose

Percentage of concession

• 75% in 2nd, SL; 1st Class, 3AC, AC chair car
• 50% in 1AC and 2AC,
• 25% in 3AC & AC chair Car of Rajdhani/ Shatabdi trains
• 50% in MST & QST
• One escort is also eligible for same element of concession

4. Deaf & Dumb persons (both afflictions together in the same person) travelling alone or with an escort – for any purpose.

Percentage of concession

• 50% in 2nd, SL and 1st Class
• 50% in MST & QST
• One escort is also eligible for same element of concession.

The procedure for availing concession is (a) Concession tickets are issued directly from Stations on production of copy of prescribed certificate from Govt. Doctor, (b) For Blind persons, certificates issued by RMPs and certain Institutions working of Blind persons (listed in Coaching Tariff) also are accepted. Concessions granted directly at stations on production of . a photocopy of the certificate. The Original certificate will have to be produced for inspection at the time of purchase of concessional ticket and during journey, if demanded. E-ticket are also issued on the basis of Unique ID issued by Indian railways to eligible persons with disability for concession in fare.

Concession is admissible in the basic fares of Mail/ Express/ Rajdhani/ Shatabdi group of trains all other charges like reservation fee, supplementary charges etc. are to be paid in full. .

With a view to facilitate persons with disability to avail concessional tickets online, concessional tickets booking facility including online concessional ticket booking facility for the persons with disability using Photo identity card issue by the Railways has been introduced.

(B) Quota in Reservation:

(i) A reservation quota of four sleeper class berths & 2 berths in 3AC class has been earmarked in all trains running on non-suburban sections for persons with disability performing their journey on handicapped concessional ticket. The persons accompanying the persons with disability as escort is also allotted the berth out of this quota.

(ii) Instructions have also been issued that in the tickets issued through Computerized Passenger Reservation System, to extent feasible, one lower berth should be allotted to the person with disability and the person accompanying the persons with disability as. escort should be allotted middle/upper berths near the persons with disability subject to availability of accommodation.

(iii) After departure of the train, i’f there are vacant lower berths available in the train and if any person with disability booked on the authority of handicapped concessional ticket, who has been allotted upper/middle berth, approaches for allotment of vacant lower berths, the Conductor/Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) has been authorized to allot the vacant lower berth to them making necessary entries in the Chart.

(C) Other facilities:

(i) Specially designed coaches known as SLRD coaches with wider entrance doors to allow a wheel chair to enter, wider aisles and modified toilet with 4 berths, the lower two for persons with disability and upper berths for attendants have been attached in almost all Mail/Express trains except Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Jan Shatabdi Express Trains and Duronto Express Trains.

(ii) Instructions have been issued that in all Mail/Express Trains, the SLRD coaches should treated as unreserved coaches earmarked for exclusive use of persons with disability. In case of Garib Rath Express Trains which are fully reserved trains, these coaches are treated as reserved for booking by persons with disability travelling on the prescribed certificate on payment of full fare of 3 AC class of Garib Rath Express on first come first served basis.

(iii) Separate counters are earmarked to various Passenger Reservation System (PRS) centres for dealing with the reservation i,requisitions received from persons with disability, Senior Citizens, Ex. MPs, MLAs, accredited journalists and freedom fighters, if the average demand per shift not less than 120 tickets. In case there is no justification for earmarking of an exclusive counter for any of these categories of persons including persons with disability or senior citizens, one or two counters depending upon the total demand are earmarked for dealing with the reservation requests for all these categories of persons.

(iv) Zonal Railways have been authorised to introduce Battery Operated Vehicles (BOVs) at major Railway Stations for persons with disability, elderly and ailing passengers on ‘first come first served’ basis through sponsorship from individuals, NGOs, Trusts, Charitable institutions, Corporates and PSUs/Corporate Houses under their Corporate Social Responsibility with no charge to passenger or to the Railway. 80 BOVs have already been provided at 54 major railway stations. Further, instructions have also been issued to Zonal Railways to invite Expression of interest for providing the facility of Battery” operated Car service on payment basis initially at all Al category stations keeping in view the financial sustainability of the service. This facility can be availed by passengers on ‘first come first served’ basis, however, preference shall be given to Sr. Citizens, persons with disability, pregnant women and medically sick passengers.

(v) Persons with disability friendly toilets, water fountains, ticket counters and earmarked parking facility is provided at all A-1, A and B category of stations.

(vi) In allotment of STD/PCO booths at Railway Stations, 25% booths have been reserved for persons with disability (including blind) with disability of 40% and above.

(vii) Zonal railways have also been instructed to provide one wheel chair per platform and in case of island platforms one wheel chair per two platforms at all A-1 and A category stations.

Yatri Mitra Sewa has a!So been introduced at major railway stations for enabling passengers to book wheel chairs services cum porter services free of cost through NGOs, Charitable trust, PSUs etc. under CSR and responsibility of providing this facility has been entrusted with IRCTC. In case of lack of response from NGOs, Charitable trust, PSUs etc. this setvice may be arranged on payment basis through a service provider or on its own.

Short term facilities as detailed below have been planned at all stations:

• Standard ramp for barrier free entry.
• Earmarking at least two parking lots.
• Non-slippery walk-way from parking lot to building.
• Signages of appropriate visibility. At least one toilet (on the ground floor).
• At least one drinking water tap suitable for use by persons with disability. ‘May I help you’ Booth.

In addition, long term facilities as detailed below have been planned at ‘A-1’, ‘A’ & ‘B’ category stations:

• Provision of facility for inter-platform transfer.
• Engraving on edges of platform.

Source: Indian Railways

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