In local trains: HC asks Railways to expedite work orders for special coach for senior citizens
The HC was informed that the Railway Board had approved a proposal for modifications, which will be made in two years without hampering existing train services.
3 min read
The PIL claimed that at least 50,000 senior citizens like him travel daily on suburban trains and during the peak hours even younger people find it difficult to enter the compartments. (File Photo)The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Railway Board to expeditiously issue work orders for modifications to convert one of the luggage compartments in local trains into a specialised senior citizen compartment. The HC was informed that the Railway Board had approved a proposal for modifications, which will be made in two years without hampering existing train services.
A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit R Borkar also said that in the meantime, senior citizens should be allowed to travel in the luggage compartment as per a circular issued by Central Railways in July, this year.
The Railways responded to PIL by K P Purushothaman Nair (66), a lawyer and retired senior private secretary of a judge, seeking directives to the Union Ministry of Railways to earmark a separate coach for senior citizens similar to one for physically-challenged persons in suburban local trains in Mumbai.
The PIL claimed that at least 50,000 senior citizens like him travel daily on suburban trains and during the peak hours even younger people find it difficult to enter the compartments.
An affidavit filed by Saurabh Kumar, Divisional Commercial Manager of Western Railway (WR) on behalf of respondent railway authorities stated that after the approval of respective General Managers of WR and Central Railways (CR), the detailed remarks were forwarded to the Railway Board.
The said remarks read, “The proposal for modification in the luggage compartment of seventh Coach of Mumbai Suburban EMU from Churchgate end for earmarking the same to Senior Citizens may be considered positively due to which there will be two benefits. Firstly, the seats which are currently reserved for senior citizens will go to the General passengers. Secondly, the excess space which is available for reserved luggage passengers will be transferred to senior Citizens and that would be a win-win situation for Railways as well as its commuters.”
Thereafter the Board approved the said proposal and asked the concerned department to carry out the modifications and conversions in the existing luggage compartment.
The affidavit further stated, “Modifications would require in 105 rakes over in WR and 155 rakes in CR, which will be done gradually without hampering the existing train services which will take around 2 years from the date of issue of work order and once the said modification is done in individual rakes, the same will be available for senior citizens in services by such modified rake/s.”
It added that for Air-conditioned EMU rakes, existing provisions of earmarking 14 seats for senior citizens in the second and eleventh coach from Churchgate end will be continued.
You May Like
Photos
