ER expands ‘divyangjan’ facilities

Kolkata: Eastern Railway has upgraded infrastructure across its four divisions to improve accessibility for Divyangjan passengers, introducing tactile paths, ramps, dedicated facilities and targeted announcements at stations.

The Railway said 248 stations now have standard ramps with double-height handrails at entrances, while 137 stations are equipped with accessible routes featuring tactile guides. Audio announcements on Divyangjan facilities have been introduced at 25 stations, while coach position announcements at 36 stations assist passengers with visual impairments.

A total of 419 accessible toilets and dedicated drinking water booths have been installed, along with accessible ticket counters and queue management systems. The Railway has also provided accessible parking at 57 stations, wheelchair facilities at 111 stations, and help booths at 41 stations.

To ease movement within stations, 93 lifts and 77 escalators have been installed across the zone. Enhanced coach-related amenities are now available at 252 stations, while priority seating arrangements have been formalised on platforms. Braille signage and audio-visual Braille maps have also been introduced to support navigation for visually impaired passengers.

Chief Public Relations Officer Shibram Majhi said the upgrades across four divisions are aimed at restoring the confidence of citizens to travel with greater independence across the network.