05 Nov 2006

Dear Friends,

Greetings,

Please find below the letter that I have written to the authorities in the Railways highlighting the uncertainties faced by persons with disabilities while booking their train tickets using the ‘Railway Concession’. 

I would request you to kindly take up these issues with the concerned authorities and possibly publish this to generate public discussions/ opinions.

Thanking you

With warm regards

Best wishes

Mahesh
 

05 Nov 2006

Bangalore

Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav,

Union Minister of Railways

Ministry of Railways

Rail Bhavan, New Delhi

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Respected Sir,

Subject: Railway Concessions for Persons with Disabilities

It has almost become a common practice for the staff at the Railway ticket booking counter to find different reasons to reject the ‘Railway Concession’ certificate that persons with disabilities use to avail rail travel concessions.

I have been using the same certificate for more than 5-year now, each time I go for a fresh ticket booking one is not sure if the staff at the counter would honour the original Railway Concession certificate that one produces for inspection.

Getting a certificate from the Government hospital is not easy. The form is usually available at a kiosk outside the hospital, a photograph showing our disability (showing our legs/ hands/ chest/ back) has to be affixed. We have to register between 8.30 to 9.00 a.m and you should be amongst the first 10 persons and that is the rule.

After registration, wait for the Doctor at the ‘Out Patient Department’ that is usually in a different block, after the doctor examines and writes his/ her comments, go back to the registration desk for the required ‘seal’. On a lucky day, it usually takes 5-6 hours or you have to be prepared for more visits.

During the reservation of tickets at the Railway Booking office, we have to produce the original certificate with a copy of the same at the booking counter. This is when the staff at the counter plays ‘God’ – in deciding if the concession could be given or not. The person is blissfully unaware of what we have to undergo when he/ she casually inform us to get a new/ different ‘Railway Concession’ form.

Each time, the person at the counter finds some or the other reasons to reject –

• The round seal from the hospital is not clearly visible on the Railway concession form
• The disability mentioned in not in our list
• The registration number of the Doctor in the seal is not legible

3^rd Dec – is the International Day of Disabled Persons and on this occasion, I would like the Indian Railways to consider some of the following suggestions to make lives easier -

1. Based on the disability identity card issued by the doctors at the Government Hospital and the State Government, the designated person at the Railway booking office should issue a ‘Railway Concession’ certificate. This should be a one-time affair. 
2. Or, the existing original ‘Railway Concession’ form should be endorsed by the designated person at the Railway booking office.
3. Either of the above process would assist the booking desk to issue the tickets on concession without risks.
4.  ‘Railway Concession’ certificate issued to persons who have permanent disabilities should be in a form of a plastic card so that there may be fewer chances for tampering and has a longer storage life.
5. The validity clause for 5 years for the ‘Railway Concession’ for persons with disabilities below 25 years should be reconsidered.

I kindly request you to give due consideration to these suggestions and introduce appropriate reforms to ensure persons with disabilities are able to make appropriate use of the concessions provided by the Railways.

Thanking you

With warm regards

C Mahesh

Address:

C. Mahesh

Advocacy Coordinator

CBR Forum

14, C.K Garden , Wheeler Road Extension

St. Thomas Town Post

Bangalore – 560 084

Tel: 080-2549 7387 or 2549 7388

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

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