Lok Sabha Question No. 5090 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-24
Subject: Facilities for Disabled
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Bidyut Baran Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5090 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2019

## FACILITIES FOR DISABLED

5090. SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

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 trains;
- (b)      if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the Railways on the requests/complaints received in this regard;
- (c)   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
- (d)   the other steps taken by the Railways to make the railway stations disabled friendly?

## ANSWER

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

- (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.  5090  BY  SHRI  SANJAY  SADASHIV  RAO MANDLIK AND SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.07.2019 REGARDING FACILITIES FOR DISABLED

(a)      Yes, Sir.

(b) to (d)     A total of  5,16,680 complaints, which include complaints for provision of facilities for  the persons with disabilities, have been received during financial year 2018-19 from various channels including Centralised 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 specifically from persons with disabilities regarding the problems they face during boarding/deboarding the train. Such complaints are duly taken up to provide immediate relief to the complainant and also to  introduce  long  term  measures  towards  provision  of  facilities  for  the disabled.

Indian Railways has more than 8700 stations and it has always been the endeavour of the Railways to provide adequate amenities to passengers at  Railway  Stations,  including  those  for  differently  abled passengers (Divyangjan)  which  is  a  continuous  process.  Provision  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. In order to provide better accessibility to  Persons  with  Disabilities  (Divyangjan),  Short  Term  Facilities  and Long Terms facilities have been planned at all stations, beginning with Non Suburban Group 'NSG 1', 'NSG 2', 'NSG 3' & 'NSG 4' (erstwhile 'A1', 'A' & 'B') 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                                                       |                                                      2670 |
|       2 | Earmarking at least two parking lots                                                       |                                                      1604 |
|       3 | Non-slippery walk-way from parking lot to station building                                 |                                                      1557 |
|       4 | Signages of appropriate visibility                                                         |                                                      1607 |
|       5 | At least one drinking water tap suitable for use by Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) |                                                      2184 |
|       6 | At least one toilet (on the ground floor)                                                  |                                                      2757 |
|       7 | May I help you booth                                                                       |                                                      1322 |

Long-Term Facilities are to be provided for Divyangjan at 'NSG-

1' to 'NSG-4' categories of stations, which are as follows:-

|   S.No. | Facility for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)   |   Approximate number of stations, where facility provided |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Engraving on edges of platforms                       |                                                      1939 |
|       2 | Provision of facility for inter-platform transfer     |                                                      1288 |

The initiatives taken towards improvement of facilities for differently abled passengers (Divyangjans) and Senior Citizens include provision  of  wheelchairs  at  maximum  stations  and  provision  of  other facilities like Battery  Operated  Vehicles  (BOVs),  escalators,  lifts, ramps, drinking water taps, Braille sign indicators, etc at major railway stations. Besides, Disability Inspectors are being appointed/nominated for  providing  assistance  to  Divyangjans.  Improvement  of  facilities  for rail  users,  including  Divyangjans  and  Senior  Citizens  is  a  continuous and ongoing process.

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