Use coach for disabled, face heavy penalty

In a bid to crackdown on abled persons travelling in train compartments reserved for the handicapped, the Government Railway Police (GRP) will aggressively book offenders under the Right of Persons With Disabilities Act (RPWD) which attracts a maximum punishment of Rs One lakh as fine and two years imprisonment or both.

The Kurla police on Monday registered a case against an unidentified man after Nitin Gaikwad, 46, a Ghatkopar resident and physically-handicapped businessman, reported the matter to Chief Security Commissioner of the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

The Kurla GRP registered a case under sections 91 (Punishment for fraudulently availing any benefit meant for persons with benchmark disabilities) and 95 (Alternative punishments) of the RPWD Act.

A senior inspector on condition of anonymity said, "Normally, RPF fines the offenders around Rs 500 but we have been instructed that if offenders are found inside the compartment reserved for handicap commuters, a case under RPWD is to be registered."

TN Dubey, Chairperson, Naisargic Viklang Seva Sangh and former Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee, said, "The move will curb the number of abled persons entering the reserved compartment. The Railways should also make announcements requesting commuters to not enter these compartments."