The Railway Ministry's decision is being viewed as widely inclusive and progressive with the times.
The Ministry of Railways on Tuesday announced that railway coaches specially designed for persons with disabilities or 'divyang' persons will now be built in every train operated by the Indian Railways. The announcement comes on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 69th birthday on September 17.
It has been decided that the entirety of these coaches, right from the entry gate to the seating arrangements, will be specially designed to facilitate convenience for the 'divyangjan'. Even separate arrangement for luggage compartments and toilet seats are being made keeping in consideration persons with disabilities.
The Ministry added that until now there had been no special arrangements in the railway coaches for persons with special needs, which has caused these individuals a great amount of trouble. Therefore, keeping this issue in mind, special care is being taken to include distinct 'divyang' coaches in every train so that a part of the population does not feel excluded.
This decision by the Indian Railways comes almost three years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suggestion to address the persons with disabilities as 'divyang' (divine bodies). The Railways had, a year ago, changed the official nomenclature of persons with special needs from 'viklang' to 'divyang', in their official forms. The Ministry had taken progressive steps like replacing the word 'blind' with 'persons with visual impairment' and 'deaf and dumb' with 'persons with hearing and speech impairment'.
"These words were derogatory and needed change," agencies had quoted a Railway Ministry official as having said.
In this backdrop, the Railway Ministry's decision on the occasion of PM Modi's birthday is being viewed as widely inclusive and progressive with the times.
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