The Southern Railway has conceded before the Madras High Court Bench here that Second Class Luggage Rake for Disabled (SLRD) coaches attached to express trains for the benefit of physically challenged passengers “are mostly used by able-bodied persons instead of passengers for whom the coaches are actually attached.”
Filing a counter affidavit in reply to a public interest litigation petition, a senior railway official said: “This (the misuse) is owing to the fact that patronage for these special accommodation has dwindled over the years possibly due to extension of reservation periods, introduction of additional trains and online reservation of tickets.”
The counter affidavit filed by E. Harikrishnan (39), Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (SDCM), Southern Railway, Madurai, went on to state: “ Quite apparently when physically challenged passengers are able to obtain berths in sleeper and other classes, they seldom desire to travel in SLRD coaches which is provided only with sitting accommodation.”
However, in the very next paragraph, the officer said: “I further submit that steps are being taken to prevent able bodied persons from entering into SLRD which are specifically meant for travel by physically challenged passengers.” After perusing the affidavit, a Division Bench of Justices K.K. Sasidharan and G.R. Swaminathan adjourned hearing to August 3.
They also directed the PIL petitioner B. Karthee’s counsel R. Alagumani to file his reply to the counter affidavit on the next date of hearing. The case had been filed seeking a direction to the officials to attach the SLRD coaches with wide entrances, wider aisles and modified toilets in Mannai Express, Rockfort Express and Cheran Superfast Express.
Urging the court to dismiss the case, the SDCM said that SLRD coaches were meant for accommodating physically challenged passengers who travel with unreserved tickets. “Now, upon provision of concession cards enabling them to reserve tickets online, the need to provide SLRD coaches, which is mostly resorted to for last minute journeys, gets obviated,” he claimed.
