The Delhi High Court today pulled up the Railways for placing coaches for the disabled at both ends of the train, saying there could be no justification for such a move but for “commercial interests”.
The court was also annoyed with the Railways for not implementing the recommendations of a committee appointed by it to provide equal opportunity to persons with disabilities to travel by trains.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the matter was adjourned last time for implementation of the report but nothing has been done.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the matter was adjourned last time for implementation of the report but nothing has been done.
“There can be no justification other than commercial interest of railways for placing one coach each at the beginning and end of a train for disabled persons,” it said.
“Unfortunately no timeline is placed and the counsel for railways is unable to tell when the recommendations will be implemented. The Committee has made important recommendations for giving equal opportunity to persons with disabilities to travel by railways. The response is unacceptable,” it said.
The observations came on a PIL initiated by the bench itself on the issue of a visually-impaired man missing his M.Phil entrance exam as he could not board a reserved compartment of a train since it was locked from inside.