Facilities for Disabled in Railways | Facilities for handicapped in Indian Railways

Facilities for Disabled in Railways | Facilities for handicapped in Indian Railways

Special Facilities For The Disabled in Indian Railways

Improvement/augmentation of amenities at stations, including those for differently abled passengers is a continuous process. In order to provide better accessibility to passengers with disabilities, short term facilities as detailed below have been planned at all stations, beginning with ‘A-1’, ‘A’ & ‘B’ category stations:

• Standard ramp for barrier free entry.
• Earmarking at least two parking lots.
• Non-slippery walk-way from parking lot to building.
• Signages of appropriate visibility.
• At least one toilet (on the ground floor).
• At least one drinking water tap suitable for use by differently-abled persons.
• May I help you’ Booth.

In addition, long term facilities, as detailed below, have been planned at ‘A-1’, ‘A’ & ‘B’ category stations:

• Provision of facility for inter-platform transfer.
• Engraving on edges of platform.

Further, as per the existing guidelines, ‘A-1’ category stations qualify for provision of escalators/elevators while ‘A’ category, ‘C’ category and stations of tourist importance qualify for provision of escalators under desirable amenities. 277 escalators and 112 lifts have been provided at various stations till November, 2025.

Instructions also exist for provision of Wheel Chairs at stations. This facility is provided, duly escorted by porters (on payment) as per present practice. Further, SLRD (Second Class Cum Luggage Cum Guard Van & Disabled friendly compartment) coaches and Power Cars for Garib Rath trains having provisions for compartment for disabled persons with air-conditioning are already in service. Presently, around 3300 such coaches are in service. These coaches have wider entrance doors for wheelchair access. Besides, following features are also provided in these coaches: –

(i) Wider entrance doors of 920mm width against 782mm in conventional body side doors.
(ii) Handrails on side walls for providing assistance to the disabled.
(iii) Wider aisle of 1050mm instead of usual 570mm (the seats alongside the sidewall have been removed).
(iv) Wider cushioned Berths – 707mm instead of 607mm in conventional coaches.
(v) To accommodate wheel chairs, space between berths increased to 1201mm against usual 542mm.
(vi) Larger Lavatory: 1947mm X 1947mm instead of 1540mm X 1189mm.
(vii) Wider lavatory door provided: 840mm instead of usual 520mm.
(viii) Additional grab rails provided in the lavatory.
(ix) Lower height of wash basin and mirror in the toilet.

For assistance to visually impaired travellers, Braille signages are provided on newly manufactured coaches. Retrofitment on existing coaches has also been taken up in a phased manner.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Manoj Sinha in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 16.03.2025 (Wednesday).

Source : PIB

Here’s a complete overview of facilities for persons with disabilities (“Divyangjan”) in Indian Railways, covering station-based amenities, onboard services, booking and concessions:

🏫 Station Facilities (Short-Term & Long-Term)

Short-term accessibility features (at A‑1, A, B category stations):

Standard ramp entries, with at least two designated parking spots and non‑slippery walkways from parking to station entrance.
Visible signage, at least one accessible toilet (ground floor), and a drinking-water tap suitable for use by disabled passengers.
“May I Help You” help booths for assistance.

Long-term infrastructure improvements:

Inter-platform transfer facilities, such as foot-over bridges with ramps and/or elevators.
Platform edge engraving and tactile guidance for the visually impaired.

Mobility support:

Over 7,000 wheelchairs are stationed across ~5,400 stations, with at least one wheelchair per platform, and one per two platforms in island configurations.
Battery‑Operated Vehicles (BOVs)/E‑wheelchairs or “buggies” are provided—sometimes free, other times nominally chargeable (₹40–₹100) under CSR or station-specific sponsorship schemes.
Examples include Nagpur Junction where an e‑wheelchair service (₹100/player) is available, and Thiruvananthapuram Central, where 15 mobile ramps and 15 custom wheelchairs were launched under “Project Sugamya”.

Lifts and escalators:

As of recent data: 981 lifts at ~400 stations, 1,090 escalators at ~339 stations; more installations are underway to meet accessibility guidelines.

🚆 Onboard Train Facilities

SLRD / SRD Coaches:

SLRD (Second Class cum Luggage/Disabled‑friendly) and SRD coaches are attached to nearly every Mail/Express train, and in Garib Rath trains as AC disabled‑friendly compartments.
Features include:
- Wide entrance doors (≈920 mm), wider aisles (≈1,050 mm).
- Space for wheelchair storage, larger lavatories with grab rails, lower-height washbasin and mirror.
- Four berths per compartment: two lower reserved for PwD and two upper for accompanying assistants.

Visual accessibility:

Braille signage is installed in newer coaches—and retrofitting in older stock is in progress.

Berth allotment & reservation policy:

Ticket booking automatically reserves lower berths for persons with disabilities and senior citizens via PRS—subject to availability.
Additional quota: typically 4 sleeper-class berths and 2 in 3AC per train are reserved for PwD passengers.
If an upper berth is assigned but a lower berth becomes vacant, TTE can reassign it post-departure.

📄 Booking & Concessions

Special PRS counters are available at stations handling reservations for differently-abled passengers and senior citizens.
Concessions (off base fare only; surcharges extra) as per PwD category:
- 75% concession in 2S, Sleeper, 3AC, AC Chair Car.
- 50% concession in 1AC and 2AC (sometimes up to 25% in premium trains).
- One escort is allowed at the same discount.
PwD concessions can be availed online (using Divyangjan ID card) or offline at PRS counters upon producing a disability certificate.

⚖️ Recent Directions & Regulatory Compliance

A ruling by the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (2025) directed Indian Railways to:
- Retrofit infrastructure at major stations (e.g., NDLS, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Ghaziabad) to meet Universal Accessibility Standards 2021.
- Install elevators (preferrable over escalators), accessible toilets, tactile guidance, wheelchair buggies, dual-height counters, appropriately designed train doors, and emergency systems.
- Incorporate the UDID system for PwD ticketing and ensure station/IRCTC websites comply with accessibility norms.

📋 Quick Reference Table

Area	Facilities for PwD / Senior Citizens
Stations (A‑1, A, B)	Ramps, lifts, escalators, engravings, accessible toilets, signage, water taps, help booths
Mobility Support	Platform wheelchairs, Battery Operated Vehicles (e/wheelchair/buggies)
Onboard Coaches	SLRD / SRD coaches with accessible design & toilets, Braille signage
Reservation & Berth Policy	Lower berth guaranteed; quotas in Sleeper and 3AC; TTE reassignment mid-journey
Booking & Concessions	Special counters; Divyangjan ID-based online booking; 50–75% fare concessions + escort
Regulatory Compliance	Retrofitting underway per Universal Accessibility standards; grievance/feedback systems

🚨 Enforcement & Challenges

Despite provisioning, enforcement of reserved disabled coach spaces remains an issue—especially in suburban trains. For instance, over 41,000 men were penalized between 2025–2025 for misusing the disabled compartments in Mumbai locals. Disabled commuters face overcrowding and physical barriers in practice.

✅ Final Tips

If traveling: carry your Divyangjan ID or disability certificate, and indicate your request for lower berth when booking.
At stations: head to help booths, ask for wheelchair or e-wheeler services, and look for designated buggy contact points or staff at portals.
Use Yatri Mitra Sewa by dialing 139 to prebook wheelchair cum porter assistance at major stations.
If you encounter accessibility issues or obstruction, report via helpline, station senior officers, or Dharne to the Chief Commissioner for Rights of PwD.