Railways duty bound to provide facilities for the disabled: Bombay high court

MUMBAI:

Bombay high court

on Thursday said Railways is duty bound to provide

facilities for the disabled

all over India. It suggested a separate budgetary allocation of funds be made for it.

A bench of

Justice Vidyasagar Kanade

and Justice P R Bora heard a PIL by India Centre for Human Rights and Law. The HC had earlier directed the railways to complete the work of providing amenities including ramps, low height booking windows and drinking water taps at Mumbai's suburban stations. When the NGO checked it found several deficiencies

Railways' advocate Suresh Kumar said whatever defects pointed out have been rectified by Western Railways. He informed that escalators are being provided at stations and on the anvil is installation of lifts He urged more time for Central Railway saying the number of stations are more than Western Railway. The judge said "unfortunately'' in the past right of disabled rights were not acknowledged but with the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, the Railways is duty bound to provide facilities.

"We are aware it is a humongous task and it can't be done overnight, It is bound to take time. But you have to recognize the right of the disabled," said Justice Kanade. The NGO's advocate Kranti L C pointed out that the PIL was filed in 2007 with several interim orders passed.

In their order, the judges said the Railways "will have to make concrete plan to deal with the issue in a phased matter.''They have directed compliance reports at the next hearing.