Amid growing crowd in the Mumbai local trains, a daily commuter has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a separate compartment for senior citizens in the trains similar to the one provided exclusively for cancer patients and person with disability.
The petitioner, K. P. Purushothamam Nair, is a senior citizen aged 66 who travels regularly between Bandra and Churchgate. In the petition, he mentioned that his commute is fraught with difficulties.
This development came after on January 2, 2022, he received a communication from the Central Railways (CR) stating that separate bogie for senior citizens is not justified due to high rush of general passengers in local trains.
Around 50,000 senior citizens commute daily on suburban trains in the financial capital and it is difficult even for younger passengers to board the train during peak hours, the petition added.
His PIL also stated that it is difficult for senior citizens to find a place to sit as the limited 14 seats dedicated to seniors on the second class after orders passed by the HC earlier in a suo motu PIL of 2009, is often occupied by younger commuters in the peak hours. Moreover, these persons don't listen to senior citizens' request to allow them to sit on the seats.
The court, in its judgement in the suo moto PIL of 2009, directed the Railways to ensure that senior citizens have an easy, free and unobstructed access to the reserved seats. However, after no steps were taken by the railways for a separate compartment for senior citizens, the petitioner made a representation before the High Court.
The court forwarded this representation to Central Railway and Western Railways requesting them to look into the matter and inform the petitioner about any action taken.
For those unversed, in 2014, the High Court in a suo moto PIL filed in 2009, suggested that one compartment can be designated for handicapped and senior citizens.
Subsequently, the court directed Central Railway and Western Railways to submit a comprehensive proposal to the Railway Board for relief to problems faced by senior citizens. The railway board was directed to take appropriate decision on the proposal.
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