TIRUCHY: Senior citizens and disabled people face hardship as buggies (battery-operated cars) remain out of their reach at the Tiruchy Railway Junction at nights. Passengers complain that the mobile numbers meant to contact the operators remain unreachable.
Recalling his ordeal, M Kamaraj, a disability rights activist in Tiruchy and a person with disability, said “ On August 9, I travelled with my elderly mother from Katpadi on the Kacheguda Weekly Express.
The train arrived in Tiruchy on platform 1 around 2 am. We looked for a battery-car to reach the exit. Though three battery-operated vehicles are available in the station, we could not find any of them.”
Speaking to the TNIE, his mother Poongothai, said they could not get a battery-operated car for more than two hours. “Our coach halted at the dead end of platform, we called the battery car operators using the dedicated numbers. However, there was no response from any of the three numbers. I then walked towards the entrance and requested a wheelchair. However, a railway staff member refused to provide one as I could not show Kamaraj’s disability card, which was with my son. An RPF personnel on duty also dialled the numbers, but there was no response,” she said, adding her son eventually crawled along the platform and reached the auto stand.
Swamimalai S. Vimalnathan, president of the Movement for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and a Right to Information activist, alleged that the Railways was not giving adequate consideration to the needs of persons with disabilities.
“Coaches allotted for persons with disabilities are usually positioned at the extreme ends of trains, making it difficult for them to reach the entrance or their coaches. At several stations, the areas where persons with disabilities board or alight do not have shelters, leaving them exposed to rain and sun. The Railways should take steps to prevent them from facing difficulties,” he said.
He also said the battery-car fare at stations under the Tiruchy division was high. “The fare should be `10 per person with disability instead of ` 30 per passenger,” he added.
When contacted, senior divisional commercial manager P Venkataragavan said operators might have taken the vehicles for charging. “We will inquire into the issue and take action to ensure the vehicles are available 24 hours,” he said.