Karnataka HC notice on Konkan Railway seeking better facilities for passengers

Bengaluru, 26 Aug 2021 [Fik/News Sources]: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Ministry of Railways, Chairman and Managing Director of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, the General Manager, South Western Railway, Hubballi, and Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka, on a public interest litigation seeking directions to provide better facilities to Konkan Railway travellers. The PIL sought facilities for the physically challenged and persons with disabilities, senior citizens and sickly people in all Konkan Railway stations. 

A division bench of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum issued notice after hearing the petition filed by George Fernandes, president, Railway Seva Samithi, Uttara Kannada, vice-president Venkatraman Bommayya Nayak and secretary Rajeev Gaonkar. 

The petitioners alleged that the facilities provided at Konkan Railway stations are far below standard, compared to Indian Railways. Konkan Railway has provided foot over bridges at six major stations, but they are not up to the standard requirements recommended by Indian Railways. 

The Supreme Court had issued guidelines to provide better facilities for boarding and deboarding in all public places, including railway stations, to facilitate the physically challenged, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and sickly persons, they said. Indian Railways provided such facilities in almost all stations, but no such facilities were provided in the stations of Konkan Railways. The deficiencies are lack of foot overbridge and platform of desired height, boarding and deboarding facilities, and other amenities, they claimed.  

“When wheelchairs and other facilities are provided at all Indian Railway bogies, why are such facilities not provided at Konkan Railway stations... It appears to be dereliction of duty and negligence shown to guidelines issued by the Supreme Court, which is contemptuous,” the petitioners alleged.