The suburban railway system may be the most convenient mode of transport for commuters in Mumbai. However, it's very unfriendly when it comes to the disabled. They have never ever got a good deal from the railways. And the railways hasn't yet fully woken to their needs even though the high court had given it three years to do something concrete to make coaches and stations disabled-friendly.
What was the court ruling?
In 2011, the Bombay high court asked railways to make the transport system disabled-friendly and instructed it to do what was required by 2014 end. But railways has clearly missed the bus. The year is ending, but there isn't anything much as yet in the system to call it disabled-friendly.
What facilities are there at present?
As per statistics (provided by railways to high court), Western Railway and Central Railway (CR) together have 104 suburban stations. On the western line there are 28 stations; of this 18 have drinking water facilities at a lower height; 19 stations have low ticket booking counters; 27 have access railings on foot over bridge, and 22 have toilets for the disabled. CR has 76 suburban stations. Of this, 13 have disabled-friendly toilets; 17 have low water drinking facilities; 16 low ticket counters, but 5 do not have access railings on foot over bridge.
What do disabled urgently seek?
The disabled are highly disheartened. They have been demanding elevators at local stations for friendlier access to trains. "Certain stations have escalators, but they are hardly of any use as wheelchairs are not allowed. There are no elevators or lifts to reach platforms," said Jitendra Karelia, president, Disability Advocacy Group.
That very unfriendly gap!
Gorakh Nigam (38) travels daily from Dadar to Airoli. His polio-affected legs restrict his movements, however. Local trains do have coaches reserved for handicapped people. But Nigam finds it extremely difficult to embark or disembark from trains at platforms as the gap between the platform and the coach is extremely wide. "There is a gap of at least one to one and-a-half foot between the platform and the coach. In certain stations, the gap is much wider, and I fear falling into the gap," Nigam said.
Bogus claimants...
Moreover, the compartments reserved for the handicapped are misused. "Absolutely fit and healthy people acquire bogus disability certificates to travel in compartments reserved for the handicapped," Karelia told dna.
Filthy toilets
It's also disturbing that toilets built for the disabled have been reduced to dumping grounds for alcoholics and the common public. "As these toilets are big, drunkards throw battles around and garbage is also dumped in abundance. Their condition is deplorable, to say the least," rued Karelia.
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