HC asks Railways to make local trains more disabled-friendly

The Bombay High Court on Monday asked the railway authorities to "think out of the box" and come up with ways to make suburban train coaches and stations more disabled-friendly.

The Railways in an affidavit submitted before the high court said it would not be possible to increase the halt time of trains and to redesign the coaches reserved for disabled persons.

It filed the affidavit in response to a query made last month by a division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice N M Jamdar whether collapsible ramps could be placed at the doors of local train coaches reserved for differently-abled persons.

The court had then also suggested to increase the halt time of trains at each station for the convenience of disabled persons.

However, the Railways, in the affidavit, said, "Installation of collapsible ramp at the doors would require complete redesigning of these coaches by providing a suitable hydraulic system. At present, there is no design available."