GUWAHATI: Indian Railways is committed to making its railway stations and trains accessible for Divyangjans as part of the ‘Sugamya Bharat Mission’ or Accessible India Campaign of the Government of India. In order to facilitate easy movement of the elderly, sick, and Divyangjans and for smooth access to platforms of major railway stations and for ease of movement, lifts and escalators are being provided as part of ‘Sugamya Bharat Abhiyaan’. A total of 597 railway stations over Indian Railways are equipped with either escalators or lifts until December 2023. 1287 escalators at 372 stations and 1292 lifts at 497 stations were provided over Indian Railways till December last year.
In a commitment to improve passenger amenities and make railway stations more commuter-friendly, Northeast Frontier Railway has installed lifts, escalators, and foot-over bridges in stations with large footfalls. At present, until December 2023, a total of 43 lifts, 35 escalators, and 137 foot-over bridges are in operation at major stations under the five divisions of N.F. Railway. N.F. Railway has also decided to provide more lifts and escalators to make it easier for passengers to board trains effortlessly.
Under the jurisdiction of N. F. Railway, 23 lifts have already been installed in Assam, nine in West Bengal, and 11 in Bihar. Similarly, 21 escalators in Assam, six each in West Bengal and Bihar, and two in Tripura have been installed. In addition, N.F. Railway is in the process of installing six lifts and two escalators in various stations in the last quarter of this financial year.
Apart from this, from 2014 until December 2023, a total of 77 foot-over bridges were constructed in Assam, 40 in West Bengal, 14 in Bihar, five in Tripura, and one in Mizoram.
In view of the ever-increasing passenger volumes, N.F. Railway emphasises the construction of more lifts, escalators, and foot-over bridges at major stations for safe and convenient entry and exit for passengers, as well as for ease of cross-navigation within the railway facilities. These facilities will provide easier access to passengers, help in providing them a pleasant experience of train journeys, and make the railway services more user-friendly, stated a press release.
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