Are you travelling for the next festival season? As soon as your travel plan is ready you login to IRCTC
to book your travel tickets. Days are gone where you have waited in long queues to book your ticket, booking is now a click away for you.
This is not the same case for millions of people with disabilities. They still have to go and wait in the ticket booking counter with the certificate issued by the medical authorities to avail the concession. This process is not provided on the railway ticket booking website.
It is hard to accept but is true. People with disabilities are those who need the online booking procedure than any other individuals to have a hassle free booking process.
Few years back the department of Railways in India has announced that they will issue an I-Card with an unique number for every eligible individual with disability. They also have announced that a provision will be made available allowing people with disabilities to book the tickets online. The passengers should provide the unique number allotted to them during the ticket booking process to avail the concession. The I-Card will be verified during the passengers travel by the concerned railway officer.
The Railway department has not expertized the process till date and the people with disabilities still have to go to the railway counters. I feel this as a clear discrimination on providing equal rights for people with disabilities. I sincerely urge the department to look into the matter and facilitate online booking process for people with disabilities as equal to any other citizen of India in the earliest possible.
Below are few articles published on major newspapers couple of years back on the issue.