Southern Railway has increased the number of centres where people with disabilities can submit their documents to apply for a photo ID in order to book train tickets online as well as across the counter.
According to a press release, those who need the ID cards can send in their documents to the divisional offices in Chennai, Tiruchi, Madurai, Salem, Palakkad and Thiruvananthapuram as well as to 36 additional locates across south India. These locations will take in application forms at the railway station every Tuesday and Thursday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The additional locations are: 1. Erode, 2. Karur, 3. Tiruppur, 4. Coimbatore, 5. Udhagamandalam, 6. Dindigul, 7. Virudhunagar, 8. Manamadurai, 9. Tenkasi, 10. Tirunelveli, 11. Tuticorin, 12. Villupuram, 13. Kumbakonam, 14. Thanjavur, 15. Mayiladuthurai, 16. Nagapattinam, 17. Nagercoil, 18. Arakkonam, 19. Katpadi, 20. Chengalpattu, 21. Jolarpettai, 22. Gummidipundi, 23. Puducherry, 24. Kollam, 25. Kottayam, 26. Alappuzha, 27. Ernakulam South, 28. Thrissur, 29. Shoranur, 30. Tirur, 31. Kozhikode, 32. Thalassery, 33. Kannur, 34. Payyanur, 35. Kasaragod and 36. Mangalore.
These 36 locations will start receiving applications from May 1 and continue to do so for a period of two months, after which the divisional offices alone, will receive the applications, the release said.
Concession holders have the following options, the release said: send in their applications by post to the divisional offices; visit the divisional offices and submit their applications; submit their applications at any of the 36 stations.
On completion of verification, the cards can be collected from the place of submission in person or though an authorised representative on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If the concession holder gives her mobile number, she will be intimated by SMS; if not, the card can be collected after three weeks, the release said.
On April 22, members of The Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of all Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers had agitated in four cities protesting the difficulties in booking their concession tickets online.
An announcement in the Railway Budget earlier this year said disabled persons could purchase concessional e-tickets after a one-time registration, addressing a long-pending demand of the community.