EasyJet launches Esaag Charter for Disabled passengers

Europe welcomes easyjet’s esaag Charter for disabled passengers

Wednesday, 22 April 2015 08:40 Written by George Sensalis

The launch of easyJet’s special assistance advisory group Pan-European Charter on Meeting the Needs of Disabled Air Travellers at an event in the EU Parliament on Tuesday was welcomed by policymakers and associations alike.

The Charter is based on lessons learned from the work of the easyJet’s special assistance advisory group, which consists of external experts on access to air travel for disabled people and easyJet representatives. The document contains recommendations for airlines, airports, and policymakers on how to make travelling for PRM passengers easier and more consistent between countries and airports.

Chaired by former UK Labour MP David Blunkett, esaag advises easyjet on the needs of passengers requiring special assistance since 2012. Reduced Mobility Rights director Roberto Castiglioni is a member of esaag and chair the Airport Experience sub-group.

The group was established by easyJet to provide the airline with strategic advice and practical guidance on the evolving needs of passengers requiring special assistance, reviewing, challenging and improving easyJet’s policies and procedures.

“Knowledge of air travel rights is crucial to smoother journeys”, David Blunkett said at the start of the event. “While the legislation David Blunkett speaking at the event in the European Parliamenthas raised awareness, many passengers are not fully informed on their rights and responsibilities,” he added. “This charter should provide a useful and succinct guide to best practice. We call on all parties involved to improve information-sharing, particularly regarding who is responsible at each stage of the passenger journey.”

"Accessibility for all is an issue for which public support continues to grow. However, we know that in the field of transport, passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility continue to face significant barriers, be these physical or logistical," Labour MEP Lucy Anderson, host of the event and member of the European Parliament’s Transport Committee said. "Evidence indicates that the approach taken by national enforcement bodies on PRM passenger rights when travelling by air varies widely and it is important that this issue remains high on both the Commission’s and Member States’ agendas.”

Jean Louis Colson, Head of Passenger Rights Unit at the European Commission congratulated esaag for writing the Charter on meeting the needs of disabled air travellers. He was echoed by Federico Bonaudi, Facilitation Manager at Airport Council International (ACI Europe).

Source: Reduced Mobility Rights 

South Western Railway sets out funds for Access improvements at 32 Railway Stations

SWR to spend Rs. 11.76 cr on passenger amenities: DRM

Mysuru, May 16, 2015, dhns:

Ramps for disabled, expansion of platforms planned

South Western Railway (SWR), Mysuru, will spend Rs 11.76 crore on the improvement of basic amenities for passengers at various stations of the division during the year 2015-16.

Addressing media here on Friday, Divisional Railway Manager, SWR, Mysuru division, Rajkumar Lal, said that of the total amount, Rs two crore will be set aside to provide facilties for differently abled passengers, by constructing standard ramps at 32 railway stations of the division.

The platforms in Mysuru city railway station is also expected to see improvement during the year, as it has been planned to extend platforms two and three, followed by the shelter at platforms four and five.

The division will spend Rs 1.67 crore on Arsikere railway station, which includes works to improve platform surface and to extend platform shelter, followed by Shivamogga town railway station, where there has been an increase in passenger density, at an estimated cost of Rs 1.57 crore. Apart from the two railway stations, minor works on platform shelters will be taken up at 18 stations, at an estimated cost of Rs 1.19 crore, he said.

As a measure to reduce power usage, poles with Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) lamps, will be installed in platform and circulating area of stations, at an estimated cost of Rs 1.04 crore, followed by Rs 1.62 crore on extending platforms at 30 stations, to accomodate the longest trains at the station.

Funds have also been set aside to construct retiring rooms at Subramanya ( Rs 12 lakh), raising and extending platform at Haveri (Rs 62.91 lakh), provision of additional seating arrangements at stations (Rs 52 lakh) and construction of platform toilets at 17 stations (Rs 65 lakh).

Augmentation

Noting that augmentation of composition of trains has been done in trains such as Nizamuddin Swarnajayanthi weekly express, Mysuru-Chennai Shatabdi express, Shivamogga Town-Bengaluru express, Lal said that proposals have been sent to zonal headquarters to augment other important trains.

To increase capacity in reserved segment, two sleeper coaches each in Basava express to Bagalkot, Golgumbaz express to Solapur, Hampi express to Hubli, Mayiladuthurai express, Tuticorin express and Tirupathi fast passenger have been proposed.

Apart from it, there is a proposal to add one sleeper and A/C 3-tier in Cauvery express to Chennai, one A/C 3-tier and 2 sleeper coaches in Sharavati and Chalukya express; one sleeper in Howrah weekly express, one A/C 3-tier each in Karwar express and Ajmer bi-weekly express, said Lal.

There are also proposals to increase the number of Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) in the division, by installing them at various stations of the division, he said.

Source: Deccan Herald

Transport Deptt Delhi reserves seat behind driver for Blind Passengers

Starting April 1, people with visual disabilities may find it easier to avail public transport. The transport department has directed DTC, DMRC and DIMTS that the seat behind the driver in all public transport vehicles be reserved for the blind from April 1. A crew member of the bus has to ensure that the blind person occupies the seat during time of boarding.

At present, while DTC and cluster buses have reserved seating for the differently abled, private mini buses don't have such reservations.

Source:  The Times of India

BHEL extends Accessible Air-Conditioned Bus for Students with Disabilities living in JNU Campus

Dear Friends,

We all know the Jawaharlal Nehru University is a Central University in Delhi with a huge campus where despite accessible pedestrian walkways, the internal mobility gets too difficult particularly in the summer months (April to July) when the weather is extremely hot. However, this may soon be a thing of past.

According to reports, the University has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), where the company will extend financial assistance to buy a bus valued at Rs.30 lakh. This air-conditioned bus will benefit over 300 students with disabilities living on the university campus to travel within the university with great ease.

The university administration will provide disabled-friendly supporting infrastructure at bus stops commensurate with the nature of disabilities of the students. The operating cost for the bus will also be borne by the Jawaharlal Nehru University management.

Source: The Hindu

BHEL extends Accessible Air-Conditioned Bus for Students with Disabilities living in JNU Campus

Dear Friends,

We all know the Jawaharlal Nehru University is a Central University in Delhi with a huge campus where despite accessible pedestrian walkways, the internal mobility gets too difficult particularly in the summer months (April to July) when the weather is extremely hot. However, this may soon be a thing of past.

According to reports, the University has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), where the company will extend financial assistance to buy a bus valued at Rs.30 lakh. This air-conditioned bus will benefit over 300 students with disabilities living on the university campus to travel within the university with great ease.

The university administration will provide disabled-friendly supporting infrastructure at bus stops commensurate with the nature of disabilities of the students. The operating cost for the bus will also be borne by the Jawaharlal Nehru University management.

Source: The Hindu

Indian Railways continues to drag its feet on making its stations accessible despite court rap

Railways get court rap for failing to make stations disabled-friendly

Written by Ruhi Bhasin | Mumbai | Posted: November 13, 2014 12:12 pm

Directing the railways to come up with a time-bound schedule to provide basic facilities for the differently abled by November 24, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday noted that a large number of suburban stations still did not been provide basic amenities like accessible toilets, railings, low ticketing counters and low-height water taps.

Justices A S Oka and A S Gadkari were acting on a bunch of petitions, including one submitted by NGO Disability Right Initiative represented by senior lawyer Gayatri Singh. The petitions highlighted the issue of raising the height of platforms at local stations and providing helipads near railway stations to airlift accident victims.

“As we invite discussions on raising the height of platforms, several people have lost their lives. We cannot spend so much time because railways cannot provide basic facilities. It is sad that the court has to monitor such matters,” the HC said.

On being informed that such facilities had been provided at only 22 stations,  the HC noted that the law required railways to provide such facilities for the differently abled at all stations.

While referring to the affidavits filed by Central and Western Railways, the court observed “We find that in cases of large number of suburban stations, basic amenities for the differently abled are not provided. We direct the railways to file an affidavit specifying an outer limit to provide such basic facilities like accessible toilets, ramps, low height ticketing counters and water taps at all station. Compliance of other facilities will be considered in the next hearing.”

The court has now asked the railways and the state government to file their affidavits by November 24. The next hearing in this matter will be held on  November 26.

“As far as directions to raise the height of platforms is concerned, substantial compliance has been made by Western and Central Railways. Also, tactile indicators should be put 18 inches from the edge to assist visually impaired people,” the court observed.

On the issue of constructing helipads along stations at 14 spots, the court stated that the government’s response in this matter was very vague. “From the urban development department, we have received very vague replies. It does not set out the exact nature of policy decision taken by the government in response to an earlier court order,” it said.

The HC had earlier directed the state government to decide on this issue by by November 5. “You may take time but say yes or no. When an outer limit has been set then the decision should have been made by now. If land is available, why do you require modification of development control regulations? If a particular spot is not available another can be provided,” the court observed.

Source: Indian Express

Delhi Metro is not barrier free for travelers with blindness

Dear Colleagues,

This horrific incident with our friend Smriti Singh, is indicative of the fact how unsafe the Metro services has been all this while. Some time back our another visually impaired friend Ms. Sweety Bhalla, a senior employee at Food Corporation of India also suffered injuries when her feet got stuck between the space on the platform and the train coach. These are important reminders that Delhi Metro should immediately address the safety of its passengers. 

Teacher’s fall belies Metro ‘accessibility’

Shreya Roy Chowdhury,TNN | Nov 13, 2014, 03.30 AM IST

NEW DELHI: Smriti Singh, a visually impaired English teacher at Maitreyi College, fell on the tracks at Vaishali Metro station while trying to pick her way out of a train, unescorted, on November 5 (Wednesday). The 30-year-old's predicament—she's now laid up with 13 stitches on her head and a bad back—detracts from Delhi Metro's reputation for being fully modern and accessible. There are no barriers between the platform and the tracks at Vaishali and there was no assistant to receive her either. 

Singh, who frequently uses Metro to get to work, claims that assistance is often missing at Vaishali. She changes over to the Yellow line at Race Course station, switches to the Blue at Rajiv Chowk and rides it till the last stop at Vaishali. According to Metro's system, word of her arrival travels before her, or it should. "On that day, a student rode with me till Rajiv Chowk and there DMRC officials took my name and contact details. They were to inform the Vaishali staff so they could have assistance ready to help me off the train and out of the station once I arrived," recalls Singh. It's not anything new. "The people at the station know me," she says. 

She boarded the Blue line but once she got off at Vaishali, she found no assistant to guide her. "I waited and then started asking other commuters for help," she says. This too has happened before, but, on every occasion, someone had stepped forward. "This time no one came. I had gone a few steps when I fell straight on the tracks. There's a gap between the tactile strip and the platform as well and no barriers." The officials came running. They stopped the approaching train, pulled her out and had someone accompany Singh, who'd bled all over her kurta, to hospital. "Their ambulance didn't arrive on time either and I went to the hospital in my own car and without a female escort. I kept telling myself not to faint all the while." Her husband spoke to the station officials the next day but no one's got back to them with any update. They've also filed a police complaint. "This shouldn't happen to anyone else. There should've been barriers on the side. Not just for disabled people but also for kids. Anyone can fall in when it's crowded," she explains. 

Asked about the incident, spokesperson for Delhi Metro Anuj Dayal admitted that there had been shortcoming on part of the Delhi Metro staff. "The passenger had spoken to a customer facilitation assistant at Rajiv Chowk who had informed the train operator on the Vaishali-bound train. The TO, however, didn't inform station staff at Vaishali. The train operator is being questioned," said Dayal. 

"There was another case some time back," observes Anil Aneja, vice-president of All India Confederation of the Blind. He cites Section 46 of Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, that requires all public infrastructure, including transport, to be accessible. "There's a Supreme Court judgment of March 2014, that directs states to implement Section 46 by December. It's already November," says Aneja.

Source: Times of India