At a time when Governments all over the world are creating amenities to provide better accessibility to physically challenged persons, the State-owned AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and the Indian Railways are placing hurdles in their movement by changing the rules from time to time, says Koduru Appala Naidu, secretary of the City Committee of the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD).
APSRTC has been providing 50 per cent concession to physically challenged persons on ordinary, Express, Deluxe services of the corporation for travel all over the State. “The classification and names of the buses are being changed, whenever there is change of government in the State. This is creating problems for us. Recently, the Deluxe services have been renamed ‘Ultra Deluxe’ with minor changes like change of colour and our passes are not been allowed on these buses,” he says.
“Coming to City Services, we are allowed free travel on ordinary city services within the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) limits. Of late, the RTC is reducing the number of ordinary city services and increasing ‘Metro Express’ services. Some of the city services are being operated as ‘school buses’ and ‘college buses’ further reducing their availability. Apart from our passes not being valid on these services, we have to commute a long distance to either board or alight from these buses,” he says. “The Railways on the other hand introduced online system for issue of new railway passes to physically challenged persons. The online centres have been opened at remote places and the beneficiaries have to invariably go there for verification of certificates”.
“The online centre pertaining to Waltair Division has been opened at the DRMs Office at Dondaparthy in the city. Imagine the plight of a physically challenged person, living at Anakapalle in GVMC limits, having to go all the way to Vijayawada for verification of certificates as Anakapalle is under South Central Railway (SCR). The lack of ramps (self-closing or attendant operated) for the ‘Disabled Coaches’ is another problem which is curtailing our mobility,” says Mr. Appala Naidu.
The Duvvada Railway User’s Association has sought extension of the Foot Over Bridge (FOB) ramp type from PF-1 to PF-4, extending the booking counter and ATVM timings on Platform-4, provision of a generator, battery-operated vehicle, introduction of pre-paid auto stand and provision of a canteen on PF-4 side at Duvvada Railway Station.
The association secretary K. Eswar and others submitted a memorandum to MP Kambhampati Haribabu during his visit to Duvvada last week.
Divisional Railway Manager Chandralekha Mukherjee apprised Mr. Haribabu of the development works being undertaken at Duvvada and the FOB extension work was pending safety approval.
The MP went round the platforms and station premises and was visibly impressed by the cleanliness.
