Is Mumbai’s public transport system accessible for disabled persons?

Mumbai the bustling financial capital of India is known for its vibrant culture diverse population and perpetually moving lifestyle The city can keep up with its fast pace because of the public transport system that serves millions every day However despite the transport network being extensive its accessibility remains a subject of debate and contentionAccessibility of the cityrsquos public transport system poses significant challenges for many commuters The intricate web of trains buses taxis and rickshaws often lack provisions for individuals with disabilities the elderly or even those with temporary mobility issuesThe citys historic infrastructure is the backbone of its transportation system but it also poses accessibility challenges Overcrowded local trains limited stations and steep staircases bring hurdles for people with disabilities The lack of dedicated locations and help exacerbates these difficultiesHydraulic ramps defunct in buses no endtoend connectivityCitybased nonprofit organisation Access to Hope was started by Jasmina Khanna an engineer with cerebral palsy and a clinical physiotherapist Sanket Khadilkar to make the city accessible for persons with disabilitiesWhile speaking to midday Khanna said that the transport system in the city is ldquonot at all accessiblerdquoldquoPublic transport is not accessible for me so I end up spending more by availing accessible taxi service I have to use private cab service thereby leading to 90 per cent more spending on travel than I would if public transport was accessiblerdquo she said when quizzed about the difficulties she facedShe further said that a handful of buses of Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport undertaking have hydraulic ramps but are mostly defunct or not in utilisationldquoNearly 200 buses of BEST have hydraulic ramps but most of them are not in function The BEST did not publicise it enough for people additionally there is no mention of which buses the ramps are available for and what are the timings The staff is not trainedrdquo she saidKhanna added that the NPO has filed a Public Interest Litigation in the court against the BEST over the defunct hydraulic rampsKhanna told midday that among the available public transport systems metro rail is relatively more accessible However she points out that the endtoend connectivitymdashas mandated by the Union governmentmdashin the guidelines to make public transport accessible is not realisedThe railway has made compartments for disabled persons available on local trains but creating accessible stations is crucial she elaboratedWhat are the guidelinesThe Union government of India has taken several steps to make public transport accessible for disabled persons and has issued comprehensive guidelines The guidelines are based on ldquoHarmonised Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier Free Built Environment for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly persons and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 which will create a seamless and dignified travel experience for everyoneThe government for Railways stated that accessibility features must be added at the stations These features include ramps lifts tactile paths accessible restrooms braille signage and reserved parking spacesThe guidelines also stated that trains must have wider doors wheelchairaccessible toilets designated seating areas and audio announcements Porter services wheelchair assistance and dedicated help desks should be made available for disabled personsSimilar guidelines exist for metro railMeanwhile the guidelines issued for buses in the ldquoAccessible Tourism Guidelines for India 2022rdquo and the IRC1242017 guidelines specify that the buses should have low floors to facilitate easy entry and exit of wheelchair users and mobility aidsAdditionally the bus is supposed to be equipped with ramps and have designated seating for persons with disability The guidelines also stated that announcements should be made both visually and audiblyAuthorities speakCentral Railway Chief PRO Dr Shivraj Manaspure told midday that they have been working towards making railway stations accessible and that they have been building ramps and adding elevators and escalatorsldquoWe have already made available ramps elevators and escalators in most major and moderately crucial stations and are working to add more features to make railway disabled person friendlyrdquo he said and added that there is staff that is supposed to look after the facilitiesrsquo upkeepThe CPRO says that CR has built 13 escalators and 18 lifts from March 2023 till date and added that by March 2024 they are expecting to finish the set target of installing 26 escalators and 30 elevatorsMeanwhile the Western Railway said ldquoWe also take a special interest in taking care of the needs of Divyangjan Senior Citizens and Cancer patients on board the train where coaches as well as seats are reserved for them Divyangjan Friendly TicketEnquiry counters have been provided at stations besides this Signages are provided at platforms in front of the coaches reserved for Divyangjan passengers The facility of wheelchairs is also available at the Station Masterrsquos office free of costrdquoAnswering a query about the upkeep of the system the WR said ldquoThorough inspections by a nominated group of supervisors are carried out fortnightly under Service Improvement Group Maintenance is carried out regularly as information for deficiency if any is reported by the station master dailyrdquoThe officials of CR and WR said that the new projects for station redevelopment or Amrit Station development cover every mandatory aspect of the ldquoDivyang policyrdquoHow can public transport improvedActivists advocacy groups and people advocate for immediate and comprehensive accessibility improvements Better infrastructure universally built vehicles and trained people to assist disabled passengers are criticalJasmina Khanna when asked about how the government works on improving public transport said that the authorities should interact with the commuters and understand their suggestionElaborating on the same CR CPRO said that they get in touch with commuters through social media various committees and local leaders or MLAs He added that suggestions taken from the individuals are mulled upon in meetings of the concerned officials wherein a plan is also devised to resolve the issues presentedMeanwhile the WR official added ldquoCommuters can provide their feedback on helpline no 139 or Rail Madad App Further passengers can register their voice in Complaint cum Suggestion Books provided in each Station Master amp other commercial office The analysis is made to find the root cause amp every effort is made to resolve the issuerdquoAddressing the difficulties requires a multifaceted approach which includes infrastructure improvements regulatory changes and better awareness of the needs of differentlyabled people Only by working together can Mumbai genuinely boast an inclusive public transport system that serves all of its inhabitants fairlyNote We attempted to contact the BEST official but no response was received at the time of filing the report The story will be updated upon receiving their responses