BENGALURU: Much needed additional amenities for passengers suffering from different kinds of disabilities are set to make their debut at four railway stations in the Bengaluru Division. The push for it was given by the City-headquartered Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled.
Whitefield, Bengaluru Cantonment, KSR Bengaluru and the yet-to-be-launched Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal in Baiyappanahalli will have these amenities, which would totally cost over Rs 50 lakh.
According to Chief Public Relations Officer, South Western Railway Zone, E Vijaya, “We have given in-principle approval for the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled to go ahead with the works and they have commenced them too. A Memorandum of Understanding will shortly be signed between the Trust and the Division.”
Giving details, she said that a vital amenity would be multiple TV display screens (32 inch) installed at each of the stations that would beam videos in sign language for the speech and hearing impaired passengers. They are aimed at making them more independent travellers.” These videos or slides will highlight the location of important facilities like unreserved and reserved ticket counters, Parking, Entry and exit gates, Foot Over Bridge, Escalators, toilets, waiting rooms and so on. “KSR station would have four TV display screens while the other stations would have two each,” she added.
To assist those with partial visual impairments, the prevalent route map of the railway station will have radium reflectors. Each platform and the flights of stairs too would be in colours of yellow and white while colour strips will be introduced for the glass doors and corridors, Vijaya said.
Ramp with railings at booking offices, height modification of Divyang passenger counters at booking office counter, modification of toilets inside general waiting room will be among the amenities to be provided.
Founder and Managing Trustee of Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, G K Mahantesh, told TNIE that they would be providing these facilities with the help of CSR contributions from their partner. “We have observed the wonderful facilities that the disabled are provided at railway stations abroad and want to ensure the same are being done in India too. These facilities would benefit thousands as many disabled individuals opt for train travel due to the highly subsidised fare being offered to them by Indian Railways.”