FACILITIES EXTENDED TO HANDICAPPED PERSONS IN RESPECT OF RESERVATION IN TRAINS (i) A reservation quota of two sleeper class berths has been earmarked in all trains running on non- suburban sections for handicapped persons performing their journey on handicapped concessional ticket. The person accompanying the handicapped person as escort is also allotted the berth out of this quota. (ii) Instructions have also been issued that in the tickets issued through Computerized Passenger Reservation System, to extent feasible, one lower berth should be allotted to the handicapped person and the person accompanying the handicapped person as escort should be allotted middle/upper berths near the handicapped person subject to availability of accommodation. (iii)After departure of the train, if there are vacant lower berths available in the train, and if any physically handicapped person booked on the authority of handicapped concessional ticket, who has been allotted upper/middle berth, approaches for allotment of vacant lower berths, the Conductor/Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) has been authorized to allot the vacant lower berth to them making necessary entries in the chart. (iv) Specially designed coaches known as SLRD coaches with wider entrance doors to allow a wheel chair to enter, wider aisles and modified toilet with 4 berths, the lower two for physically challenged persons and upper berths for attendants have been attached in almost all Mail/Express trains except Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Jan Shatabdi Express Trains and Duronto Express Trains. (v) Instructions have been issued that in all Mail/Express Trains, the SLRD coaches should be treated as unreserved coaches earmarked for exclusive use of physically handicapped passengers. In case of Garib Rath Express Trains which are fully reserved trains, these coaches are treated as reserved for booking by handicapped persons travelling on handicapped concession on payment of full fare of 3 AC class of Garib Rath Express on first come first served basis. (vi) Separate counters are earmarked at various Passenger Reservation System(PRS) centres for dealing with the reservation requisitions received from Physically handicapped persons, Senior Citizens, Ex. MPs, MLAs, accredited journalists and freedom fighters, if the average demand per shift not less than 120 tickets. In case there is no justification for earmarking of an exclusive counter for any of these categories of persons including handicapped persons, one or two counters depending upon the total demand are earmarked for dealing with the reservation requests for all these categories of persons. 2. Additional Facility (a) For the convenience of the physically challenged persons, facilities like Wheel Chairs have been provided at all important stations on the Indian Railways. (b) In allotment of STD/PCO booths operated from the Railway Stations, 25% booths have been reserved for physically handicapped persons (including blind disability 40% and above). 3. Concession in Fares As per Railway rules, concession in Railway fares is admissible to the following categories of disabled persons and that too in extreme cases. S. No. CATEGORY OF PERSONS PERCENTAGE OF CONCESSION* 1 Disabled Passengers 1 Orthopedically Handicapped/ Paraplegic persons who cannot travel without escort — for any purpose • 75% in second, Sleeper, First, AC chair Car and AC 3 tier • 50% in First Class and AC 2 tier, • 25% in AC 3-tier & AC Chair Car of Rajdhani/Shatabdi trains • 50% in Monthly Season Ticket & Quarterly Season ticket • One escort is also eligible for same element of concession 2 Mentally retarded persons who cannot travel without escort - for any purpose 3 Blind persons travelling alone or with an escort - for any purpose 4 Deaf & Dumb persons (both afflictions together in the same person) travelling alone or with an escort - for any purpose. • 50% in Second, Sleeper and First Class • 50% in Monthly Season Ticket & Quarterly Season ticket • One escort is also eligible for same element of concession S. No. CATEGORY OF PERSONS PERCENTAGE OF CONCESSION* 1 Disabled Passengers Orthopedically Handicapped/ Paraplegic persons who cannot travel without escort — for any purpose • 75% in second, Sleeper, First, AC chair Car and AC 3 tier • 50% in First Class and AC 2 tier, • 25% in AC 3-tier & AC Chair Car of Rajdhani/Shatabdi trains • 50% in Monthly Season Ticket & Quarterly Season ticket • One escort is also eligible for same element of concession 2 Mentally retarded persons who cannot travel without escort - for any purpose 3 Blind persons travelling alone or with an escort - for any purpose 4 Deaf & Dumb persons (both afflictions together in the same person) travelling alone or with an escort - for any purpose. • 50% in Second, Sleeper and First Class • 50% in Monthly Season Ticket & Quarterly Season ticket • One escort is also eligible for same element of concession With Regards, Amruth Reddy K President, Differently Abled Employees Welfare Association Ap, Hyderabad. http://andhrapradeshemployeeswithdisabilites.blogspot.com/ Mob: 9951610757.