Lok Sabha Question No. 560 (STARRED), answered on 2017-04-12
Subject: Disabled Friendly Stations
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.560 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.04.2017

## DISABLED FRIENDLY STATIONS

*560. DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways has received a number of requests/complaints  from  the  persons  with  disabilities  about  the problems they face during boarding/deboarding the train and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Delhi  Division  of  Railways  has  signed  MoU  with the  Container  Corporation  of  India  Ltd.  in  this  regard  under  the Corporate Social Responsibility;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the terms and conditions of the MoU;
- (d) whether the Government plans to augment various facilities at the railway stations for the convenience of disabled and elderly and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the other steps taken by the Government to make the railway stations disabled friendly?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS

( SHRI SURESH PRABHAKAR PRABHU )

(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. *****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF STARRED  QUESTION  NO.560  BY  DR.  HEENA  VIJAYKUMAR  GAVIT AND SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 12.04.2017 REGARDING DISABLED FRIENDLY STATIONS

(a)   A total of 3,47,300 complaints, including the complaints from the persons  with  disabilities,  have  been  received  during  financial  year 2016-17 from various channels including Centralized Public Grievance Redress And Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) web portal, Complaints Management System (COMS) portal, Social Media etc.  However, no separate data is maintained regarding requests/complaints received from persons with disabilities.

- (b)  No, Madam.

(c)  Does not arise.

(d) & (e) Improvement/augmentation of amenities at Railway stations, including  those  for  differently  abled  passengers  is  a  continuous process.  In order to provide better accessibility to passengers with disabilities, short-term facilities as detailed below have been planned at all stations, beginning with A-I, A & B category stations:

-  Standard ramp for barrier free entry.
-  At least one toilet (on the ground floor).
-  At  least  one  drinking  water  tap  suitable  for  use  by  differently abled persons.
-  Signages of appropriate visibility.
-  Non-slippery walk-way from parking lot to station building.
-  Earmarking at least two parking lots.
-  'May I help you' Booths.

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.

The details of railway stations provided with facilities for differently abled persons are as under:

|   S.No. | Facility for differently-abled persons                                       |   Approximate number of stations, where facility provided |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Standard ramp for barrier free entry                                         |                                                      1980 |
|       2 | At least one toilet (on the ground                                           |                                                      1530 |
|       3 | floor) At least one drinking water tap suitable for use by differently-abled |                                                      1520 |
|       4 | persons Signages of appropriate visibility                                   |                                                      1280 |
|       5 | Non-slippery walk-way from parking lot to station building                   |                                                      1240 |
|       6 | Earmarking at least two parking                                              |                                                      1150 |
|       7 | lots May I help you booth                                                    |                                                       960 |
|       8 | Engraving on edges of platforms                                              |                                                      1650 |
|       9 | Provision of facility for inter- platform transfer                           |                                                      1140 |

The following facilities have been extended from time to time for the physically handicapped persons:

- i)    Specially  designed  coaches  known  as  SLRD  coaches  with  wider entrance doors to allow a wheel chair to enter, wider aisles, cabins with  4  berths,  the  lower  two  for  physically  challenged  persons  and upper berths for attendants and modified toilet have been attached in

almost all Mail/Express trains except Rajdhani, Jan Shatabdi Express Trains and Duronto Express Trains.

- ii)     Instructions have been issued that in all Mail/Express Trains, the SLRD coaches should be treated as unreserved coaches earmarked for exclusive use of physically handicapped passengers.  In case of Garib  Rath  Express  Trains  which  are  fully  reserved  trains,  these coaches are treated as reserved for booking by Handicapped persons travelling on handicapped concession on payment of full fare of 3 AC class of Garib Rath Express on first come first served basis.
- iii) Separate counters are earmarked at various Passenger Reservation  System  (PRS)  centers  for  dealing  with  the  reservation requisitions  received  from  physically  handicapped  persons,  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 handicapped persons 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) Disabled  friendly  toilets,  water  fountains,  ticket  counters  and earmarked parking facility is provided at all A-1, A and B category of stations.
- v) Zonal  Railways  have  been  authorized  to  introduce  Battery Operated  Vehicles  (BOVs)  at  major  railway  stations  for  disabled, elderly  and  ailing  passengers  on  'first  come  first  served'  basis

through sponsorship from individuals, NGOs, Trusts, Charitable institutions, Corporates and PSUs/Corporate Houses under Corporate Social  Responsibility(CSR)  free  of  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  A1 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, physically challenged, pregnant women and medically sick passengers.

vi)   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 A1 and A category stations.

vii)    Yatri  Mitra  Sewa  has  also  been  introduced  at  major  railway stations  for  enabling  passengers  to  book  wheel  chair  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 service may be arranged on payment basis through a service provider or on its own. viii) As  per  rule,  Male  senior  citizens  of  60  years  and  above  and women  senior citizens of 58 years and above having Indian Nationality  are  granted  concession  in  all  classes  and  in  the  basic fares of Mail/Express & Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Jan Shatabdi/Duronto group of trains.  The element of concession is 40% for men and 50% for  women. The concession is given in the basic fares. As per data captured by CRIS, the revenue forgone due to concession being given to senior citizens and total revenue forgone during the last five years is as under:-

| Years   |   (Senior Citizens) Revenue Forgone ( ₹ . in Crores) (Approximate) |   Total Revenue Forgone (Approx.) ( ₹ . in Crores). | % share of revenue forgone due to concession to senior citizens   |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2011-12 |                                                                615 |                                                 921 | 66.77%                                                            |
| 2012-13 |                                                                681 |                                                1045 | 65.16%                                                            |
| 2013-14 |                                                                933 |                                                1313 | 71.05%                                                            |
| 2014-15 |                                                               1148 |                                                1423 | 80.67%                                                            |
| 2015-16 |                                                               1286 |                                                1603 | 80.22%                                                            |

ix) Railways  grant  concession  to  disabled  persons  in  extreme cases only.  As per rules, the following categories of disabled persons are granted concession in train fares:-

|    | Disabled Passengers                                                                                                                  | Disabled Passengers                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  1 | Orthopaedically Handicapped/ Paraplegic persons who cannot travel without escort - when travelling alone or escort - for any purpose | with  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 in First and Second Class  One escort is also eligible for |
|  2 | Mentally retarded persons who cannot travel without                                                                                  | with  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 in First and Second Class  One escort is also eligible for |

|    | escort - when travelling alone or with escort for any purpose                                                            |                                                                                                                                          |
|----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  3 | Blind persons travelling alone or with an escort - for any purpose                                                       |                                                                                                                                          |
|  4 | Deaf & Dumb persons (both afflictions together in the same person) travelling alone or with an escort - for any purpose. |  50% in 2nd, SL and 1st Class  50% in MST & QST in first and second class  One escort is also eligible for same element of concession |

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.

The  revenue  forgone  due  to  concession  being  given  to  different categories of disabled passengers is as under:-

| Year    |   Revenue Forgone (Approx.) ( ₹ . in Crores) |
|---------|----------------------------------------------|
| 2011-12 |                                        79.12 |
| 2012-13 |                                        78.9  |
| 2013-14 |                                        91.54 |
| 2014-15 |                                       105.38 |
| 2015-16 |                                       107.13 |

****