Small steps go a long way in helping differently-abled

Chennai

Chennai Central has probably become the first railway station to make changes for persons with disability, after a Change.org petition was filed by Virali Modi, an avid traveller who relies on a wheelchair for mobility. 

Virali Modi, who had earlier filed a petition addressed to the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to implement disabled-friendly measures in Indian Railways, wrote on February 27, “Chennai Central was the first railway station to make changes for those with disabilities, after seeing my petition. They “partnered” with a local hospital and introduced foldable wheelchairs that are small enough to fit inside the coach!” 

She added, “Chennai Central did this independently, without any instruction from Suresh Prabhu.” Virali’s experiences of being groped and manhandled thrice by porters helping her board the trains, prompted her to file the petition. “I am a disabled woman living in Mumbai who loves to travel. I have had to wear a diaper because I couldn’t use the train bathroom. And when I needed to change that diaper, I had no privacy and had to wait for hours for the lights to go off at night. The railways treat the disabled as a piece of luggage. This needs to stop!” she mentioned in the petition, which garnered a huge response. 

Ummul Khair (39), a person with disability, said she relied on passengers to help her disembark the train. “We can’t use a wheelchair inside the train. So, I had to rely on porters to help us get on the coach, especially if I’m travelling alone. Moreover, the porters charge quite a lot and often get into fights among themselves as to who will get this business. Moreover, I never travel in the compartments demarcated for persons with disability. There is little safety, as anyone can enter the compartment, if left unlocked,” she said, adding that there’s a lot more left to be done to make travel safe for persons with disability. 

For Smitha Sadasivan, a member of the Disability Rights Alliance (DRA), grievance redressal mechanism process too should be made disabled-friendly. “I was returning to Chennai from Bengaluru on February 27, when my bag was stolen. There was no way I could get down at the station and file a complaint. I had to return to Chennai and file an FIR after much trouble. The helplines were not helpful, as there was no response. The counters too were inaccessible,” she said. 

On the ground: A visit to the Central Station revealed that foldable wheelchairs were available on request, at the passenger care centres. Service of battery-operated cars too can be availed through a phone call. Anandhi Raghu, a senior citizen who suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis, travels to Bengaluru frequently to visit her ailing mother. She said the Chennai Central was quite hassle-free to access. “I use the battery-operated cars since wheelchairs have to be reserved in advance. These cars pick me up from the ramp and drop me right outside the coach. This service ensures that senior citizens can easily travel,” concluded the 68-year-old. 

SETTING A BENCHMARK

• Roughly, a dozen wheelchairs, old and new, and four battery-operated cars are available at Chennai Central Station 
• Modified foldable wheelchairs which can be moved inside the coach are also available
• Mobile passenger facilitation group comprising 10 staff members per shift, mostly TTEs and other commercial staff, are always available to reach out to the disabled Five members each would be available in the old and new concourse area
• Facility would be provided with the permission of deputy SMR (commercial) or platform inspector) Ramps are also available at the Women Facilitation Centre to the new concourse area so that the disabled passenger need not to be carried into the coach

UPCOMING FACILITIES

• Mobile passenger facilitation booths with a single-staff member are on the anvil 
• The staff will help the needy passenger till the end, which includes accompanying the passenger till s/he occupies the seat
• Mechanical department has planned to introduce a fibre-made ramp capable of withstanding 140 kg (disabled person plus the one handling the wheelchair)

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