Reserved but unavailable: Passengers with disabilities object to others occupying train coaches meant for PwDs

Bengaluru: Persons with disabilities (PwD) in Bengaluru have flagged concerns over the misuse of disabled-only compartments on trains, with repeated complaints to railway helplines going unheeded.

Sarvajith S, a 19-year-old engineering student who has a locomotor disability, said he faces the problem every time he travels between Bengaluru and Mysuru.

"I travel every weekend, and every weekend the PwD compartment remains in the same condition — filled to the brim with the general public," he said.

"Two weeks ago, while I was travelling with my mother, there was barely any place to move. I called the helpline at least four times, and each time, they told me that an official would come by to manage the situation, but no one ever did," he added.

The problem persists on other routes as well.

Yashika N, a 29-year-old visually impaired passenger, said she routinely faces this problem while travelling to Chennai.

"Once, when I complained to a Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer, he made only one person move so I could sit. He did not care that the compartment had no space for other PwD passengers boarding at upcoming stations. He did not ask the general passengers to move out," she said.

People with hidden disabilities face an additional layer of difficulty.

Salma Syeda, 53, said her son, who has autism, is often denied access to disabled-friendly spaces because he appears able-bodied. "People are not educated about hidden disabilities, so often the staff is unable to help," she said.

A South Western Railway (SWR) official said RPF officers were always on the lookout and any member of the general public found in a disabled-friendly compartment was asked to vacate immediately.