Lok Sabha Question No. 2763 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-03
Subject: LHB Coaches for Divyangjan
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Karti P. Chidambaram, Gopal Chinayya Shetty, Maddila  Gurumoorthy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2763

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08.2022

LHB COACHES FOR DIVYANGJAN

2763. SHRI KARTI P. CHIDAMBARAM:

SHRI GOPAL CHINNAYA SHETTY:

SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure welfare of Divyangjan passengers in the Indian Railways;
- (b)  the  total  number  of  Divyangjan  friendly  LHB  coaches  inducted  in  the Railways  till  now  train/routewise  along  with  the  extent  to  which  it  has assisted the Divyangjan passengers;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  put  up  mechanisms  to  capture  due feedback from Divyangjan Passengers on their travel experience;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e)  whether  all  the  long  distance  trains  in  the  country  have  a  separate coach for disabled people and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (f)  the  percentage  of  long  distance  trains  having  separate  coaches  for disabled people at present;
- (g)  the time by which the Government proposes to increase the number of such trains; and
- (h) the number of stations out of the 7083 railway stations in the country that have been made accessible to Persons with Disabilities?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (h) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  2763  BY  SHRI  KARTI  P.  CHIDAMBARAM,  SHRI  GOPAL CHINNAYA SHETTY AND SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 03.08.2022 REGARDING LHB COACHES FOR DIVYANGJAN.

- (a): Indian Railways have taken various measures to ensure welfare of Persons  with  Disability  (Divyangjans)    like  grant    of  concessional  fare facility to four categories  of Persons  with  Disabilities (PwD),  online reserved  concessional  ticket  booking  facility,  earmarking  of  reservation quota  in  Sleeper  and  3AC  classes,  earmarking  of  separate  reservation counters at important PRS locations, 25%  quota in allotment of STD/ISD PCO  booths  at  stations,  provision  of  wheelchair,  and  Battery  Operated Vehicles, introduction of Yatri Mitra Sewa, attachment of specially designed coaches known as SLRD(Second Class cum Luggage and Brake Van  with  Compartment  for  Divyangjan)  &  LSLRD  coaches,  provision  of escalators, lifts, ramps,  drinking  water  taps  and  toilets suitable for divyangjans,  Braille  sign  indicators,  standard  ramp  for  barrier  free  entry, earmarking  of  parking  lots,  non-slippery  walk-way  from  parking  lot  to building, signages of appropriate visibility, 'May I help you' Booth, etc.
- (b)  to  (g):    Indian  Railways  has  already  been  facilitating  a  separate compartment earmarked for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) in last vehicle (SLRD) marshalled in almost all Mail/Express trains operating with Integral Coach Factory (ICF) coaches.  These coaches have wider entrance doors,  wider  berths,  wider  compartments,  larger  lavatory  and  lavatory doors,  wheel  chair  parking  area,  etc.    Inside  the  toilets,  additional  grab rails on the side walls for support and wash basin and mirror at a suitable height are also available inside the toilets.  In new design Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches, last vehicle LSLRD coaches have been designed and are being manufactured with the above features.  These coaches are being proliferated gradually. Around 994 disabled friendly coaches

(LSLRD/LDSLR/LDSLRA) have been manufactured till 30.06.22.  Subject to operational  feasibility  and  availability  of  such  coaches,  trains  operating with ICF rakes have at least one PwD (Divyangjan) friendly coach. Further, subject  to  operational  feasibility,  Indian  Railways,  have  also  inducted PwD(Divyangjan) friendly LHB coaches, which are being attached in most of the trains operating with LHB  rakes, except premium  services  like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, AC Express services including Tejas Express. Moreover,  new  design  coaches  such  as  LHB  Air  Conditioned  Economy Coach  (LWACCNE)  are  also  being  manufactured  with  at  least  one  wider door out of two doors of the coach.  Around 348 LWACCNE coaches have been  manufactured  till  30.06.22.  Induction  of  PwD(Divyangjan)  friendly coaches  in  trains  is  an  ongoing  process  over  Indian  Railways  subject  to operational feasibility, availability of rolling stock etc. As regards, feedback, Indian Railways gets the suggestions/feedback from all  categories of passengers including PwDs(Divyangjans) through various foras like portal  of  Department  of  Personnel  and  Public  Grievances commonly  known  as  PG  Portal,  Rail  Madad,  enquiry/complaint  No.139. Based on the feedback received, remedial actions wherever found necessary and feasible, are taken. (h): In the year 2015, a target was set to make A1, A & B category railway stations fully accessible to Persons with Disability (Divyangjans). Consequently, all 709 A-1, A&B category railway stations (erstwhile) have been  provided  with  all  facilities  to  make  railway  stations  accessible  for PwD (Divyangjan) such as ramps, reserved parking near entrance, accessible  toilets,  accessible  drinking  water  facilities,  accessible  lifts, "May I help You" booths, signages etc. Improvement/augmentation  of  amenities  including  those  for  differentlyabled passengers (Divyangjan) at railway stations is a continuous process.

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