RPF to step up checks in reserved coaches on trains to prevent encroachment on seats

Differently abled passengers struggle for space in SLRD coaches on trains general crowd spills into reserved compartments despite enforcement efforts.

Ludhiana

Despite the existence of SLRD coaches, Ludhiana Junction, the state’s largest railway station, remains largely inaccessible to persons with disabilities. (HT File)

The Railways have instructed the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to intensify monitoring of the Seating cum Luggage Rake for Disabled (SLRD) coaches, commonly referred to as Divyangjan coaches, after HT reported earlier this month that persons with disabilities often struggle to find available seats as other passengers crowd these reserved compartments.

A railway official at Ludhiana Junction, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that directives have been issued to ensure that these coaches remain accessible exclusively to persons with disabilities, enabling them to travel with ease and dignity.

“The coach is positioned adjacent to the general compartment and as that coach gets crowded, passengers often spill over into the SLRD coach,” the official explained.

Inspector SB Yadav, in-charge of RPF at Ludhiana Junction, stated that personnel routinely monitor these coaches and

take strict measures to prevent misuse. “While at the station of origin, our personnel ensure that the space reserved for persons with disabilities is not occupied by others. However, as the train progresses through various stations, passengers boarding and alighting may inadvertently intrude into these coaches,” he noted.

Despite the existence of SLRD coaches, Ludhiana Junction, the state’s largest railway station, remains largely inaccessible to persons with disabilities. Currently, only two ramps at the station’s entry points provide access to platform no 1, while no ramps or lifts connect it to the other six platforms.

The station’s main overhead bridge, which previously featured a lift connecting platform no 1 to Rakh Bag, has been dismantled as part of ongoing reconstruction work.

Stairs linking the bridge to other platforms lack lifts or intermediate platforms, further complicating movement for persons with disabilities.

At present, the only means for persons with disabilities to reach other platforms is via passages that run along the railway lines at both ends of platform no 1, a solution that is neither ideal nor safe.

Officials said that the new station building, currently under construction and expected to be completed in the next couple of years, was being designed to be fully accessible for persons with disabilities.