The provision of escalators and lifts at railway platforms would facilitate improvement in the exit and entry of passengers.
Indian Railways: The Indian Railways on Wednesday said that as many as 597 railway stations have been made “Divyangjan friendly” or differently-abled friendly by installing escalators and lifts thus they are now easily accessible for persons with disabilities. These were installed as part of the government’s “Sugamya Bharat Mission” or “Accessible India Campaign”, it said adding that Indian Railways is committed to making its railways stations and trains accessible for all Divyangjans.
Improvement and augmentation of amenities for Divyangjans is a continuous process at railway stations to facilitate easy movement of elderly, sick, and Divyangjans and for smooth access to platforms of major railway stations and ease of movement, lifts/escalators are being provided as part of ‘Sugamya Bharat Abhiyaan’.
The provision of escalators and lifts at railway platforms would facilitate improvement in the exit and entry of passengers and is a further step to improve passenger safety as well.
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Giving a break-up, the railways in the statement said 1,287 escalators at 372 stations and 1,292 lifts at 497 stations were provided till December last year.
Data provided by the railways shows that between 2014 and 2023, 1,144 escalators and 1,195 elevators were installed.
During the calendar year 2023, 128 escalators and 227 lifts were provided, the railways said.
However, activists demanded that priority be given to the installation of elevators as these are more convenient means of movement than escalators for people with locomotor disabilities.
“The Indian Railways has failed to comprehend that escalators are not suitable means of egress for passengers with locomotor disabilities and senior citizens. Despite our representations, escalators are mistakenly prioritised over elevators,” Dr Satendra Singh, Director Professor at the University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) and Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital said.
“Unlike metro railways, the persisting gaps and elevations at railway stations make them unfriendly to disabled individuals, despite having lifts at the outskirts,” a differently-abled activist, working with the government, said.
