Coaches for specially-abled to get lift up

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Tuesday approved a new design for coaches meant for physically challenged passengers on Central Railway (CR) local trains so that other passengers do not get confused and board these coaches.

Government pleader Kavita Solunke said, “After rejecting a few designs in the recent past, the division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice G.S. Kulkarni on Tuesday approved a design with a bright colour scheme for coaches for physically challenged passengers. The design occupies maximum area of the outer side of the coach and can be noticed very easily, which will prevent people from boarding these coaches by mistake.”

Railway authorities were directed to come up with an alternate design scheme for coaches reserved for disabled persons so that commuters can easily identify them.

The move came while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ghatkopar resident Nitin Gaikwad, who is 50 per cent disabled and travels on both Central and Western Railway to reach his workplace.

Gaikwad’s lawyer Jaydeep Tanna claimed before the court that the petitioner regularly suffered while boarding and alighting the coach reserved for disabled persons due to unauthorised commuters, policemen, GRP and RPF personnel, and railway servants travelling illegally in these coaches.

He further claimed that despite complaints, the railway failed to take any action against such unauthorised passengers.