Under the Sugamya Bharat Mission or Accessible India Campaign for Divyangjans, the government has installed lifts or escalators at a total of 597 railway stations, the Ministry for Railways said on Wednesday.
According to the data shared by the Ministry for Railways, a total of 143 escalators were provided till March 2014. The number rose to 1,144 during 2014 to 2023.
During the calendar year 2023 itself, 128 escalators were provided by the government, and as of now, a total of 1287 escalators at 372 stations were provided.
In terms of lifts at the railway stations, the ministry data said till 2014, 97 lifts were installed. While from 2014 to 2023, 1,195 lifts were installed at various stations. A total of 1,292 lifts at 497 stations were provided.
During the calendar year 2023, 227 lifts were provided.
Improvement or augmentation of amenities including those for Divyangjans (differently-abled persons) is a continuous process at Railway stations.
To facilitate easy movement of elderly, sick, and Divyangjans and for smooth access to platforms of major railway stations and ease of movement, lifts/escalators are being provided as part of ‘Sugamya Bharat Abhiyaan’.
Recently, the government has released new draft guidelines for enhancing accessibility for specially-abled people.
The guidelines emphasise the integration of technology-enabled features, including text-to-speech and user-friendly pictograms.
The Department of People with Disabilities (PwDs) has urged the stakeholders and the public to provide feedback on the proposed guidelines. Comments, objections, and suggestions are invited until January 29, 2024.