Lok Sabha Question No. 1798 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-26
Subject: Allotment of Berths for Disabled
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE

## 1798. SHRI  RAHUL SHEWALE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the cases of allotting upper berths in trains to the disabled passengers including wheelchair bound para athlete have come to the notice of the Government during each of the last three years and the current year, and if so, the details thereof, zone-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted any enquiry in such cases and if so, the details and the outcome thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has developed disabled friendly infrastructure at all the railway stations of the country and if so, the details thereof, zone-wise; and
- (d)  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  lower  berths  to  disabled  passengers  and disabled  friendly infrastructure at all the railway stations of the country?

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1798 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2017

## ALLOTMENT OF BERTHS FOR DISABLED

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1798 BY SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 26.07.2017 REGARDING ALLOTMENT OF BERTHS FOR DISABLED.

(a) & (b):  Yes, Madam. Recently, a case has been reported where a person with disability, Ms. Suvarna Raj, who is also an international para-athelete, was allotted upper berth in Train no. 12611 Chennai  - Nizamuddin  Garib Rath Express for journey dated 10.06.2017 from Nagpur to Nizamuddin.

In Garib Rath express trains, a specially designed coach for persons with disability known as (SLRD) coach is attached where four berths, two lower berths and two upper berths are available for travel of persons with disability. In one such coach of above mentioned train, a person with disability had booked a ticket along with an attendant whose age was 62 years. Since the attendant was senior citizen, the system allotted  both lower berths  - one to person  with  disability  and  second  to  attendant  leaving  both  upper  berths  vacant.  When  the  next  person  with disability, Ms. Suvarna Raj booked accommodation ex. Nagpur in this train, the system allotted the available upper berths to her and her attendant. It was also found that at the time of booking of accommodation by Ms. Suvarna Raj, there was no vacancy in general quota.

(c) & (d) :  In order to provide better accessibility to persons with disability, short term facilities as detailed below have been planned at all stations, beginning with 'A-1',  'A' & ' B ' category stations:

-  Standard ramp for barrier free entry.
-  Earmarking at least two parking lots.
-  Non-slippery walk-way from parking lot to station building.
-  Signages of appropriate visibility.
-  At least one drinking water tap suitable for use by differently-abled persons.
-  At least one toilet (on the ground floor).
- 
- ' May I help you ' Booth. In addition, long term facilities, as detailed below, have been planned at 'A-1', 'A' & ' B ' category stations:
-  Engraving on edges of platform.
-  Provision of facility for inter-platform transfer.

Zone-wise details of railway stations provided with facilities for persons with disability as on 30.06.2017 are appended.

With a view to ensuring allotment of lower berths to persons with disability, following steps have been taken:-

- (i) In  addition to four berths in Sleeper class being earmarked for persons with disability(2 lower berths for the persons  with  disability  and  two  upper/middle  berths,  for  the  escort)  it  has  been  decided  to  earmark  a reservation quota of two berths in 3AC for persons with disability (lower berth for persons with disability and middle berth  for their escort).  This is in addition to the existing facility of booking in SLRD coaches of Garib Rath Express trains available to the persons with disability.

(ii) Instructions have also been issued to make provision in the system to allot only lower berths to persons with disability in SLRD coaches of Garib Rath Express trains and upper berth to their attendant irrespective of the age of the attendant. In case any person with disability books accommodation without attendant, the upper berth  will  be  kept  vacant  and  released  to  RAC/waitlist  passengers  at  the  time  of  preparation  of  reservation charts.

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APPENDIX  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (c)  &  (d)  OF  UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1798  BY  SHRI  RAHUL SHEWALE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 26.07.2017 REGARDING ALLOTMENT OF BERTHS FOR DISABLED.

| Sl. No   | Railway            | Provision of Standard Ramp   | Earmarking two parking lots for differently abled   | Provision of nonslippery walkway from parking to Station Building   | Provision of Signages   | Provision of atleast one drinking water tap   | Provision of atleast one differently abled friendly toilet   | 'May I help you' booth   | Engraving of edges of platforms   | Trolly path at ends of platforms   |
|----------|--------------------|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------------------------|
| Sl. No   | Railway            | No. of stations              | No. of stations                                     | No. of stations                                                     | No. of stations         | No. of stations                               | No. of stations                                              | No. of stations          | No. of stations                   | No. of stations                    |
| 1        | Central            | 278                          | 200                                                 | 149                                                                 | 219                     | 329                                           | 222                                                          | 188                      | 184                               | 64                                 |
| 2        | East Coast         | 47                           | 37                                                  | 35                                                                  | 40                      | 44                                            | 36                                                           | 27                       | 218                               | 40                                 |
| 3        | East Central       | 64                           | 43                                                  | 49                                                                  | 54                      | 50                                            | 48                                                           | 49                       | 83                                | 48                                 |
| 4        | Eastern            | 172                          | 55                                                  | 74                                                                  | 143                     | 109                                           | 128                                                          | 32                       | 59                                | 46                                 |
| 5        | North Central      | 38                           | 35                                                  | 33                                                                  | 33                      | 54                                            | 38                                                           | 31                       | 28                                | 30                                 |
| 6        | North Eastern      | 196                          | 70                                                  | 65                                                                  | 65                      | 77                                            | 69                                                           | 61                       | 64                                | 67                                 |
| 7        | Northeast Frontier | 181                          | 62                                                  | 134                                                                 | 141                     | 145                                           | 377                                                          | 114                      | 91                                | 49                                 |
| 8        | Northern           | 159                          | 161                                                 | 210                                                                 | 103                     | 228                                           | 159                                                          | 101                      | 115                               | 116                                |
| 9        | North Western      | 84                           | 38                                                  | 41                                                                  | 49                      | 78                                            | 77                                                           | 53                       | 250                               | 41                                 |

| 10   | South Central      |   275 |   199 |   208 |   168 |   167 |   153 |   91 |   203 |   242 |
|------|--------------------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|------|-------|-------|
| 11   | South East Central |    34 |    29 |    28 |    27 |    30 |    34 |   25 |    40 |    25 |
| 12   | South Eastern      |    98 |    31 |    36 |    35 |    58 |    37 |   33 |    72 |    34 |
| 13   | Southern           |   137 |    79 |    86 |    81 |    95 |    87 |   73 |    83 |   237 |
| 14   | South Western      |    85 |    40 |    38 |    46 |    40 |    30 |   30 |    68 |    68 |
| 15   | West Central       |    34 |    35 |    33 |    34 |    35 |    35 |   33 |    30 |    25 |
| 16   | Western            |   195 |    84 |    76 |    99 |   151 |   128 |   77 |   139 |    43 |
|      | Total              |  2077 |  1198 |  1295 |  1337 |  1690 |  1658 | 1018 |  1727 |  1175 |

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