April 15 deadline for railways to reserve 14 seats for elderly in locals

“We direct the Central and Western railways to effectively implement the decision of the Railway Board to reserve 14 seats for senior citizens in every suburban train. We further direct them to ensure free and unobstructed access so that the senior citizens can reach and occupy these seats,” said Justices A S Oka and A K Menon. The court has given the railways time till April 15 to comply with its orders.

The HC was hearing a suo motu PIL, which was converted out of a letter written by A B Thakker, urging reservation of a separate compartment for senior citizens.

The railways had earlier suggested providing dedicated seats for senior citizens in the compartment reserved for the physically challenged or in the luggage compartment as they are under utilised. “Railways should maintain facilities provided to physically challenged people and pregnant women, and should not curtail these facilities. It is obvious that by providing facilities to senior citizens, facilities extended to other passengers should not be curtailed,’’ the HC said.

According to railways, while 34,50,000 passengers travel in second class, 3,30,000 passengers travel in first class daily. Also, 12,000 passengers travel in the luggage compartment, while the number stands at 8,000 in the compartment reserved for the physically challenged people.

“It is the legal obligation of the Railways to effectively implement the decision of the Railway Board to reserve 14 seats but it is not being done. After so many orders reiterating them to provide dedicate facilities, there has been hesitation on the part of the Railways to come up with a decision,” the court said.