Question : Development of Model Disabled Friendly Coach

(a) whether 95 percent of railway coaches are of a particular design and their doors are not wide enough for wheelchair access putting the disabled persons in difficulty;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons for keeping the problem unattended for decades;

(c) whether the Railways have now developed model disabled friendly coach in which no mobility-impaired person could board without help and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the coach so developed have no Braille and other signage for visually and hearing impaired travellers and if so, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) & (b): As on 31.03.15, disabled friendly coaches with wider entrance doors for wheelchair access are more than 5% of total holding of Indian Railway coaches. It is endeavoured to provide at least one such disabled friendly coach in Mail & Express trains.


(c): No new design has been developed in the recent past. Second Class cum luggage and brake van with PWD (Persons with Disabilities) Compartment coaches and Power Cars for Garib Rath trains having provisions for PWD Compartment with air-conditioning are already in service. In these coaches, mobility-impaired person may require help for boarding.
However, accessibility to trains from low-level platforms has been identified as one of the challenge areas under ‘Navrachna-Innovation’ initiative.

(d) & (e): No, Madam. For assistance to visually impaired travellers as well as those with normal vision, integrated Braille signages, i.e., signages superimposed with Braille scripts are being provided on newly manufactured coaches. Retrofitment on existing coaches has also been taken up in a phased manner.
Hearing impaired travelers with normal vision can also make use of these integrated Braille signages.
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