Lok Sabha Question No. 3823 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-11
Subject: Differently Abled Persons
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Jugal Kishore Sharma, Devendrappa Y, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3823

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2019

## DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSONS

†3823. SHRI JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA: SHRI Y. DEVENDRAPPA: SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of the  facilities  being  provided to differently abled persons at railway stations and in the trains along with the details of various categories of railway stations;
- (b)  whether  the  Railways  proposes  to  develop  the  railway  stations  coming under category 'B' as disabled friendly railway stations in the entire country;
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  zone-wise  details  of  the  railway stations identified for the said purpose;
- (d) whether escalators/lifts are being set up at all railway stations across the country to make it easier for the senior citizens to reach overbridges;
- (e)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  stations  of  the  country  where  the  said  facilities have been provided so far;
- (f)  the  amount  spent  on  making  railway stations and trains disabled friendly over the past five years, region-wise; and
- (g) whether the train drivers and ticket collectors have been sensitized about the difficulties of the disabled-people and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (g)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3823 BY SHRI JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA, SHRI Y. DEVENDRAPPA  AND  SHRI  DHAIRYASHEEL  SAMBHAJIRAO  MANE  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 11.12.2019 REGARDING DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSONS

(a) to (c): Indian Railways is committed to make its Railway stations and trains accessible for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) as part of 'Sugamya Bharat Mission' or Accessible India Campaign of Government of India.  Improvement/ augmentation of amenities at Railway stations, including those for differently abled passengers, is a continuous process. Provisions of facilities for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) are to be made at all stations over Indian Railways. The categorization of stations is reviewed every five years.  In April, 2018, it has been decided to change the categorization of Stations from 'A-1', 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E' & 'F' category to NSG1, NSG2, NSG3, NSG4, NSG5 & NSG6, SG1, SG2 & SG3 and HG1, HG2 & HG3 based on passengers handled and earnings of the stations.

In order to provide better accessibility to Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Short Term Facilities and Long Terms facilities have been planned at all stations (including erstwhile B category stations), beginning with Non Suburban Group 'NSG1', 'NSG2', 'NSG3' & 'NSG 4' category stations.  The details of Railway stations provided with Short-Term Facilities so far for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) under all categories of stations over Indian Railways are as under:-

|   S.No. | Facility for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)        |   Approximate number of stations, where facility provided |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Standard ramp for barrier free entry                       |                                                      3702 |
|       2 | Earmarking at least two parking lots                       |                                                      2055 |
|       3 | Non-slippery walk-way from parking lot to station building |                                                      2110 |

|   4 | Signages of appropriate visibility                                                         |   1779 |
|-----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|
|   5 | At least one drinking water tap suitable for use by Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) |   2843 |
|   6 | At least one toilet (on the ground floor)                                                  |   3869 |
|   7 | May I help you booth                                                                       |   1325 |

The Long-Term Facilities, which are to be provided for Divyangjan at 'NSG1' to 'NSG-4' categories of stations are as follows:

|   1 | Engraving on edges of platforms                   |   1940 |
|-----|---------------------------------------------------|--------|
|   2 | Provision of facility for inter-platform transfer |   1290 |

Public  Announcement  Systems  including  Computer  Announcement System  at  4367  stations,  Trains  Indication  Boards  at  1125  stations  and Coach Indication Systems at 644 stations have been provided at Railway Stations  which  may  also  be  accessed  by Persons  with  Disabilities (Divyangjan).

Regarding  making  trains  Divyangjan  friendly,  around  3,400  disabled friendly Integral Coach Factory (ICF) design coaches (Transportation Code -  SLRD/SRD) are available in the fleet of Indian Railways. These coaches have a suitably designed compartment and toilet adapted to the needs of the  disabled/wheel  chair  borne  passengers.  In  these  coaches,  wider entrance  door,  wider  berths,  wider  compartments,  larger  lavatory  and lavatory  doors,  etc.  have  been  provided.  Inside  the  toilets,  additional  grab rails on the side walls for support and wash basin and mirror at a lower height are also available. It is endeavored to have at least one such coach in each Mail/Express  train  having  ICF  type  coaches.  Further,  Linke  Hofmann  Busch (LHB) type coaches (Transportation Code - LSLRD/LDSLR) with facilities for Divyangjan  on  similar  lines  as  is  available  in  ICF  design  coaches  are  also under manufacture at Integral Coach Factory/Chennai.

For  the  assistance  of  the  visually  impaired  travelers,  Integrated  Braille Signages, i.e. signages superimposed with Braille scripts, are being provided in  all  the  newly  manufactured coaches. Further, retrofitment of the same in existing coaches has also been taken up in a phased manner. (d)  &  (e)  Yes,  Sir.  In  order  to  facilitate  easy  movement  of  elderly,  sick  and differently  abled  passengers  and  for  smooth  access  to  platforms  of  major railway stations and for ease of movement, escalators/lifts are being provided as part of 'Sugamya Bharat Abhiyaan'. As per the revised policy guidelines of Indian  Railways,  Escalators  are  to  be  provided  at  railway  stations  having footfall  of  more  than  twenty  five  thousand  and  at  railway  stations  at  state capital  and  millennium  cities.  Lifts  are  being  provided  depending  upon  the relative  priority  of  various  stations  and  the  availability  of  resources  and feasibility for provision of lifts. So far, 705 escalators at 250 stations and 521

lifts at 226 stations have been provided over Indian Railways (till 31.10.2019).

(f)  Provisions of facilities for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) are to be provided at all stations over Indian Railways based on the needs of travelling public and availability of funds.  Works for all passenger amenities including facilities  for  Persons  with  Disabilities  (Divyangjan)  at  Railway  stations  are generally  funded under  Plan  Head  -  53  'Passenger  Amenities'.    No  separate accountal is made for expenditure on amenities for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan). However, priority will be accorded to higher category of station over lower category of station while sanctioning and executing the works for all passenger amenities/facilities for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) at Railway  stations.  The  details  of  funds  allocated  and  expenditure  incurred under  Budgetary  Sources  for  this  Plan  Head-53-  Passenger  Amenities,  over Indian  Railways  during  the  last  five    years  i.e.  2014-15,  2015-16,  2016-17, 2017-18 & 2018-19  and current year are appended.

(g)  All  General  Managers  of  the  Zonal  Railways  have  been  instructed  to provide Special Training Modules on Soft Skills as a part of Initial/Refresher/Special  Courses  to  all  frontline  staff  directly  dealing  with customers wherein greater thrust has been given towards customer satisfaction and the need to focus on customer as the principal client. All commercial frontline staff are given special training on passenger amenities  wherein  training  on  special  facilities  provided  for  Physically

Challenged persons and provision of wheelchair are given.

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APPENDIX REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3823  BY  SHRI  JUGAL  KISHORE  SHARMA,  SHRI  Y.  DEVENDRAPPA  AND SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 11.12.2019 REGARDING DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSONS

The  details  of  funds  allocated  and  expenditure  incurred  under  Budgetary Sources for Plan Head-53, over Indian Railways during the last five  years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 & 2018-19 and current year are as under:-

( ` in Crores)

| Zonal Railway      | 2014-15      | 2014-15   | 2015-16       | 2015-16   | 2016-17       | 2016-17   | 2017-18       | 2017-18   | 2018-19       | 2018-19   | 2019-20       | 2019-20   |
|--------------------|--------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|
| Zonal Railway      | Allo- cation | Exp.      | Allo- catio n | Exp.      | Allo- catio n | Exp.      | Allo- catio n | Exp.      | Allo- catio n | Exp.      | Allo- catio n | Exp.      |
| Central            | 77.00        | 67.88     | 85.10         | 78.74     | 73.93         | 74.07     | 141.53        | 161.89    | 262.67        | 237.42    | 284.14        | 195.73    |
| Eastern            | 91.42        | 70.71     | 67.22         | 62.98     | 51.85         | 48.41     | 85.21         | 50.73     | 116.67        | 57.84     | 208.16        | 77.65     |
| East Central       | 53.17        | 44.89     | 82.53         | 63.75     | 52.78         | 65.76     | 72.03         | 74.11     | 139.24        | 98.57     | 227.91        | 94.48     |
| East Coast         | 55.00        | 40.53     | 59.66         | 57.46     | 47.78         | 56.42     | 75.09         | 59.85     | 116.42        | 72.55     | 175.74        | 63.42     |
| Northern           | 125.80       | 85.46     | 128.30        | 109.33    | 78.15         | 94.93     | 174.12        | 171.92    | 347.24        | 141.18    | 289.00        | 105.67    |
| North Central      | 90.22        | 74.95     | 81.46         | 52.62     | 56.87         | 60.34     | 105.53        | 66.56     | 94.51         | 116.92    | 177.37        | 43.38     |
| North Eastern      | 41.96        | 22.34     | 55.00         | 71.94     | 107.69        | 109.84    | 92.81         | 91.44     | 112.20        | 89.53     | 186.17        | 57.66     |
| Northeast Frontier | 50.48        | 44.71     | 53.17         | 54.09     | 50.75         | 45.81     | 56.83         | 38.16     | 97.54         | 78.06     | 186.17        | 71.72     |
| North Western      | 42.18        | 35.58     | 60.31         | 66.07     | 53.42         | 55.60     | 57.87         | 68.09     | 155.89        | 118.62    | 186.17        | 89.11     |
| Southern           | 62.58        | 69.87     | 107.77        | 95.91     | 61.18         | 70.68     | 148.52        | 102.00    | 147.47        | 57.57     | 264.22        | 64.30     |
| South Central      | 104.24       | 77.33     | 101.65        | 94.82     | 64.41         | 68.56     | 90.96         | 63.80     | 186.33        | 76.39     | 227.91        | 103.16    |
| South Eastern      | 56.37        | 53.23     | 72.12         | 65.60     | 47.46         | 60.08     | 80.25         | 81.85     | 81.11         | 56.93     | 175.42        | 43.72     |
| South East Central | 39.57        | 36.12     | 48.71         | 31.38     | 29.55         | 31.49     | 32.60         | 23.50     | 104.32        | 36.19     | 138.24        | 32.99     |
| South Western      | 35.82        | 31.88     | 69.61         | 60.22     | 42.63         | 41.93     | 64.19         | 49.77     | 61.22         | 26.19     | 186.17        | 45.64     |
| Western            | 58.61        | 42.65     | 52.21         | 49.61     | 48.73         | 47.96     | 126.50        | 134.80    | 325.37        | 299.01    | 284.22        | 197.22    |
| West Central       | 49.92        | 54.65     | 71.31         | 63.50     | 45.29         | 43.78     | 58.55         | 44.44     | 53.21         | 19.03     | 175.49        | 24.68     |
| Metro              | 11.56        | 5.83      | 3.99          | 3.19      | 5.44          | 5.58      | 8.20          | 3.89      | 9.31          | 3.88      | 12.57         | 3.88      |
| TOTAL              | 1045.90      | 858.61    | 1200.10       | 1081.20   | 917.91        | 981.24    | 1470.79       | 1286.80   | 2410.72       | 1585.88   | 3385.07       | 1314.41   |

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