Indian Railways Accessibility QuotientPresented by: Ms. Abha NegiSvayam an initiative of SJ Charitable Trusteditor@svayam.comwww.svayam.com

National Policy for Persons with Disabilities, 2006: The National Policy recognizes that Persons with Disabilities are valuable human resource for the country and seeks to create an environment that provides them equal opportunities, protection of their rights and full participation in society.

INDIA India is the seventh biggest country in the world;

Total area of India is estimated to be 3,287,240 square kilometer;

Population of India : 1210.2 million (as per Census 2011);

Hence, it is very important to develop seamless accessible public transport

Indian Railways Span & ImportanceLargest rail network in Asia and the world's second largest under one management;Indian Railways are a multi-gauge, multi-traction system covering over one hundred thousand track kilometers;Carries near about 30 million passengers daily;Reaches to the remotest of part of the country ;The above results in increasing its demand year after year.

Increase in Demand ofIndian Railways v/s Airlines

No. of Passengers (in Millions) Year 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 Railways 5093 4971 5112 5475 Airlines 1281 1332 1454 1817

Suburban RailSuburban rail usage has sharply increased over the past five decades, with a 14-fold growth in passenger km of travel (Indian Railways 2001).

Growing Population: Increased in urban population from 62 million in 1951 to 285 million in 2001 and is estimated to be around 540 million by the year 2021Extension of cities far beyond old city boundaries Increased Urban trips : 80 million trips will need to be catered per day, whereas only 37 million trips are being provided by the available rail and bus mass transport facilities Scatteredresidential and commercial development without necessary infrastructure

Reason for Increase in Demand

India appears on the second position in the list of passengers carried in rail transport per year (Countries with more than 500 million passengers): Even though many advanced technologies or superior designs of coaches have long been made available to people in Europe, Japan and now China, replicating or adapting those to meet the needs of people in India is far from reality. Source: UIC database

CountryBillion passengersYearJapan 22.67 2010 India 8.03 2010 Germany 1.95 2010 People's Republic of China 1.86 2011 United Kingdom 1.33 2010 France 1.14 2009 Russia 1.14 2009 South Korea 1.06 2010 Italy 0.64 2009 Spain 0.57 2010 South Africa 0.53 2007

Challenges faced by Indian Railways

Overcrowding, low frequency and lack of universal design

Lack of financial resources

Low per-capita income : 23 percent of Indian urban population living in poverty

Extremely low fares : Due to 70% (as per the Census 2011) of Indian population living in rural area

Misuse of Coach for Disabled

Need for Barrier-free Rail System

Disabled People in IndiaDisability was included in the census for the first time in 2001

As per Census 2001, 2.2% of the population was disabled

This figure is contested by organizations working in the field which estimate Indias total disabled population at approximately six per cent or 70 million

As per the recent World Bank report, India has some 40 to 80 million people with disabilities

Census 2011 report still awaited

Census 2011 Campaign by Svayam in association with Census of India

Population trend: India

Senior Citizens comprise 5% of Indias population, and the UN predicts that by 2050, about 536 million Indians will be aged 50 or over;The number of people over 80 is growing at 4% per annum; the population as a whole is growing at 1% per annum;3.5 million people will be over 100 years old by 2050: over half will live in Asia.Currently 64% of older people live in less developed regions, by 2050 this figure will rise to 80%;

The link between age and disability

There is a strong correlation between age and disability;Two thirds of disabled people are seniors.

Hence, the growing population over 60 that is projected to reach 177 million by 2025 together with Indias population of 70 million persons with disabilities is the main reason to make accessibility of the transport system a top priority

Global population trends: Ageing

Our world is, after all, ageing rapidly, primarily due to increased lifespans and declining fertility rates. The Economic Times dated 21.02.12.

We are at a brink of an ageing world, and we are not prepared. Mr. Brian Kennedy, CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Ageing.

This mega crisis (ageing population) will start impacting us in the coming 20years. Dr. Majd Alwan, Executive Director of the Center of Ageing Services Techonologies.

Provisions for people with disability in Indian RailwaysIndian Railways has extended a considerably large concession on the ticket for the disabled traveller and one escort travelling with them making the travel very cheap.

The Indian Railways have provided a separate compartment for the disabled passengers at the end of the train next to the guard van.(Conti)

The attempts have been made by Indian Railways to incorporate the accessibility features at some of the railway stations (like Delhi railway station and Agra Cantt railway station) such as earmarked parking for the wheelchair users, accessible entrance, waiting room with accessible toilet and above all inter connectivity of all the platforms with the ramp. (Conti)

Accessible toilet at the platformRamp at the entranceAccessible Features at Railway Station, New DelhiDrinking Water counters at two levelsPlacement of tactile warning and guiding blocks

Accessible Features at Railway Station, New DelhiProvision of Golf Cart on Platform No. 1 for intra-platform movement for the passengers with reduced mobility

Accessible Features at Railway Station, Agra CanttRamps connecting various platforms

Accessible toilet in the waiting room

Ramp being used by cooliesLeveled surfaces

But is this enough to make Indian Railways Accessible to All ???

The concession extended by Indian Railways is of no use if the railway stations and rail coaches are not accessible and are often difficult to use by people with various disabilities due to various reasons like :

Steps at various places

No information to passengers regarding train arrival/departures at respective platforms

Lack of appropriate directional signage to guide people,

Lack of trained staff available to assist disabled passengers

Absence of accessible toilets

Unleveled surfaces

Absence of amenities like drinking water fountains, etc.(Conti)

Lack of provision for inter-platform transfers for people with disabilities putting their safety at question. They are forced to use the railway tracks for crossing hence increasing the risk of accident.

The coach for disabled does not facilitate independent and dignified access to a user as the component of manual assistance invariably remains due to:Unleveled platform

Tactile warning blocks up to the disabled coach only hence posing trip hazard

Lack of enforcement leads to overcrowding

INITIATIVES FOR DIFFERENTLY-ABLED PERSONSIndian Railways has taken initiative to start manufacturing specially designed coaches having earmarked compartments and toilets adopted to the needs of wheel chair borne/differently-abled persons. Each differently-abled compartment provided in specified coaches has a berthing capacity for 4 passengers including two attendants along with toilet and other amenities. Indian Railways has so far manufactured 2100 such specially designed coaches. It will be the endeavour of the Railways to have one such coach in each mail/express train. Efforts are being made to ensure ease of access to platforms and other areas at stations for differently-abled persons.

So called accessible coaches Overcrowding in the coach for disabled

Toilets in the coach for disabled people Person with locomotive disability finding it difficult to enter the train due to high steps Level difference of the platform and the coach does not facilitate independent and dignified access

New coaches to based on the universal design which would be accessible to all including the elderly and the disabled.

It is important that even the existing coaches should be retrofitted to make them accessible in a time bound manner.

Railway stations at the rural belts to be made accessible

The Way Forward

Platforms to be made accessible by : Having ramps at all the entrances to the railway stationInterconnecting ramps within the railway station for safe inter platform transferInstallation of elevators and travelators instead of escalatorsDesignated unisex toilet on each platform Availability of Information

Sensitization of staff

Maintenance and repair of existing facilities

(Conti)

Conclusion Accessibility refers to peoples ability to reach to the goods, services and activities, which is the ultimate goal of most transport activity.

Accessibility and mobility are directly linked to each other and hence it is important that transport planning should be based on accessibility.

Accessibility must not be seen as an isolated policy

It must become a non-negotiable part of policy making and planning at international and national levels.

A nation's development is also measured by the ease with which it integrates elderly & disabled into the mainstream society.

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