Indian Railways should be made accessible for the differently abled: NGO

Every Indian railway station should be made fully accessible for differently abled people by incorporating measures as per universal accessibility standards, a NGO run by an Indian-American said ahead of the annual railway budget.
Ramps with proper gradient and holding bars on both sides should be added, allowing wheel chairs to enter and move around in the station along with electric carts as per universal accessibility standards, Voice of Specially Abled People (VoSAP) said in a memorandum submitted to the Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu, ahead of his annual budget.
VoSAP has been voicing the need for "Accessible India Campaign" since July, 2014 to bring everyone together and work in campaign, mission mode to change the infrastructure - make our buildings, transportation and digital assets, fully accessible.

"Based on variables such as number of platforms, trains per day, average daily passenger traffic at the station (5% of which assumed to be people with disabilities including Senior Citizens), type of station etc. Railways should provide suitable solutions and devices for passengers to safely get into the train," the memorandum said.

Options suggested here include low cost, foldable ramps, manual wheel chairs at multiple designated locations, elevators to go across the platforms, Stair-lift that can carry passenger with the wheel chair, power wheel chair with motorised lift (instead of foldable ramps) to elevate the wheel chair for safe and easy entry into the railway cart and existing electric carts with ability to raise the cart for direct entry to the cart.
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