CHENNAI: Surprise inspections should be conducted to ensure that the seats reserved for senior citizens and persons with disabilities are not being occupied by others, the Madras High Court directed the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd.
The direction was issued after advocate VBR Menon filed a public interest litigation seeking a reasonable number of reserved seats on Metro trains for the elderly and differently-abled passengers.
When the case came up for hearing before the bench comprising Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and G Arul Murugan, CMRL submitted that 14 out of the 50 seats in each coach have been reserved for senior citizens and PwDs, and that appropriate signage has been displayed near those seats.
However, the petitioner's side argued that passengers occupying those seats do not vacate them when senior citizens or PwDs board the train. Therefore, like how women have separate coaches on trains, exclusive coaches could also be allotted for senior citizens and PwDs, they suggested.
Holding that a decision in this regard rests with CMRL, the bench directed the management to consider the petitioner's request.
The court further ordered the Metro Rail authorities to carry out periodic surprise inspections to ensure that others are not occupying those seats, and to frame proper guidelines within 30 days for effective implementation of seat reservation.
Also, action must be taken against passengers who refuse to vacate seats reserved for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, the judges added and disposed of the case.