Dear all greetings again,
below is an openion on accessibility for blind and visually impaired passengers, also published today on Indian Express: 🚆 Accessibility Must Go Beyond Tokenism: Braille on Trains Needs a Rethink By Praveen Kumar On a recent journey in an A1 coach on the Karnataka Express Train No. 12628, I was reminded how accessibility for blind passengers in India still suffers from a “tick-the-box” approach. Yes, there was Braille signage — but only for berth numbers and alarm details. Even that was tucked awkwardly under a luggage rack, making it hard to find or read. What was missing? The very information that could matter most in an emergency: safety instructions, attendants’ contact numbers, cleaning service details, and complaint procedures. For a blind traveller, the absence of this information in Braille isn’t an inconvenience — it’s a denial of independence and safety. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, especially Section 42, mandates equal access to information in accessible formats. This isn’t charity; it’s the law. Yet, when implementation is half-hearted, the result is compliance in form but exclusion in practice. Accessibility must mean all essential travel information — in Braille, audio, and other accessible formats — clearly placed and thoughtfully designed. Authorities must consult blind passengers, audit regularly, and ensure that communication is not just available, but actually usable. https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/disability-laws-in-india-diability-access-to-trains-transport-10189190/ Kind regards, -- Praveen -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CABpSer0Cy3ogu6UHvpGS4dpric0xvZMu7srNO8nU%3DE3tZdyZsA%40mail.gmail.com.
