The Hindu : New Delhi News : Provisions sought for disabled in Railway budget

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Provisions sought for disabled in Railway budget

Staff Reporter

Allocations sought in Union Budget also

Wheelchairs at every platform
Sign interpreters at stations

NEW DELHI: The National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People and other institutions in the disability sector have proposed a slew of recommendations to be incorporated into the upcoming Railway and Union budgets.

According to NCPEDP, access of disabled persons to reserved parking, reaching railway platforms, boarding trains, getting information about rail routes, arrival and departure of trains has not been taken into account while upgrading railway stations. A specific plan should be prepared to ensure that all planned passenger amenities cater to the needs of disabled passengers, it said. In addition, serviceable wheelchairs should be available at every platform. All stations should also have sign interpreters, it said.

The provision of special coaches for disabled people has also been criticised by NCPEDP on the grounds that the coaches are disconnected from other compartments and it defeats the purpose of inclusiveness. NCPEDP director Javed Abidi said: “If a disabled person wants to travel in a compartment of his or her choice they should be entitled to do so. All coaches in a train should be accessible to the disabled. Disability concessions should also be valid for super-fast trains like the Rajdhani and Shatabdi and local trains. The process of availing concession which is complicated should be simplified.”

“Disabled persons cannot avail of online booking of tickets either as they have to submit their railway concession form while booking tickets. This should be corrected and a provision made so that the disabled can also book tickets online,” he said.

According to NCPEDP, disability should have a special mention in the Budget speech not as a charity or welfare issue. Rather it should be spoken of in terms of development and human rights. “At a conservative estimate, there are around 70 million disabled people in the country. Is it not desirable that they should be educated, in possession of satisfactory jobs and self-reliant? They should not be dependent on charity as it discourages self-reliance and is also a strain on the economy.”NCPEDP has recommended that all ministries reserve at least 3 per cent of their annual outlay for the benefit of the disabled as mentioned in the Disability Act, 1995, and as stated in the 11th Five Year Plan.

It has also demanded allocation of resources as per the Five Year Plan for a national centre to facilitate development of a barrier-free environment, a sign language research and training centre, a residential school up to Class XII and one degree college for the deaf in every geographical zone to promote their educational development. There should also be a scheme for providing loans on concession terms, it said.

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