Sugamya Bharat Mission Railway – Sugamya Bharat Mission Railway Station
Amenities under Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan in Railways
Indian Railways is committed to make its railways stations and trains accessible for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) as part of “Sugamya Bharat Mission” or Accessible India Campaign of Government of India. Improvement/ augmentation of amenities including those for differently abled passengers Divyangjan is a continuous process at Railway stations. Recently in February, 2020 the guidelines for accessibility of Railways have been circulated for implementation over Indian railways. As per these guidelines, Indian Railways endeavor to provide comprehensive facilities and services to Divyangjan which inter-alia include an easy use of information system, accessible infrastructure, various concession to passengers travelling on Divyangjan concession Tickets, Human Assistance, Wheel Chairs, Signages, etc. Railways also aim to make the railway coaches and stations accessible by retrofitting the existing infrastructure as well as integration of accessibility in new infrastructure for planning at design stage itself.
The following facilities have been provided at railway stations for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan):-
| Facility for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) | Approximate number of stations, where facility provided |
| Standard ramp for barrier free entry | 3702 |
| Earmarking at least two parking lots | 2055 |
| Non-slippery walk-way from parking lot to station building | 2110 |
| Signages of appropriate visibility | 1779 |
| At least one drinking water tap suitable for use by Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) | 2843 |
| At least one toilet (on the ground floor) | 3869 |
| May I help you booth | 1325 |
| Engraving on edges of platforms | 1940 |
| Provision of facility for inter-platform transfer | 1290 |
In order to facilitate easy movement of elderly, sick and differently abled passengers (Divyangjan) and for smooth access to platforms of major railway stations and for ease of movement, lifts are being provided as part of ‘Sugamya Bharat Abhiyaan’. So far, 567 lifts at 243 stations have been provided over Indian Railways.
All commercial frontline staff are given special training on passenger amenities wherein training on special facilities provided for Physically Challenged persons and provision of wheel chair are given. Zonal Railways have been instructed to provide one wheelchair per platform and in case of island platforms, one wheel chair per two platforms at all erstwhile A-1 and A category stations.
Yatri Mitra Sewa has also been introduced at major railway stations for enabling passengers to book wheel chairs services cum porter services free of cost through NGOs, Charitable Trust, PSUs etc under CSR and responsibility of providing this facility has been entrusted with IRCTC. In case of lack of response from NGOs, Charitable Trust, PSUs etc., this service may be arranged on payment basis through a service provider or on it own. Passengers can book cab/coach & porter service online through IRCTC portal www.irctc.co.in. The facility is available at Chandigarh, Gaya, Guntur, Howrah, Jaipur, Lucknow, Lucknow Jn., Madurai, New Delhi, Delhi Jn., Hazrat Nizamuddin, Delhi Safdarjung, Anand Vihar, Delhi Cantt., Delhi Sarai Rohilla, Tirupati and Vijaywada.
Powers have been delegated to DRMs to decide the provision of Battery Operated Vehicles (BOVs) at station on merit – whether free of cost through commercial publicity route or through ‘user pays’ route. At the Divisional level, Chief Travelling Ticket Inspectors/In-charges (CTTI/ICs), Station Managers (SMRs) and concerned Commercial Inspectors are directed to perform duty as a disability Inspector for providing assistance to Persons with Disabilities.
This press release is based on information given by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.