Indian Railways has made nearly 500 railway stations Divyangjan, Aged & Children friendly under Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan.

• Indian Railways has made nearly 500 railway stations Divyangjan, Aged and Children friendly by installing the lifts and escalators at railway stations across the country under the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan.
• Indian Railways has been consistently trying to improve passenger amenities at various stations.
• It said that provision of escalators and Lifts at the railway platforms is a part of the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan and also a necessity in view of the ever-increasing passenger volumes.
• Such facilities would facilitate improvement at exit and entry of passengers at stations.

About Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan:

• Launched by the Prime Minister of India on International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December 2015.
• Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) has launched Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) as a nation-wide Campaign for achieving universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

 It has the following three important components:

• Built Environment Accessibility: An accessible government building is one, where persons with disabilities have no barrier in entering it and using all the facilities therein.  This covers the built environment – services, steps and ramps, corridors, entry gates, emergency exits, parking – as well as indoor and outdoor facilities including lighting, signages, alarm systems and toilets.
• Transportation System Accessibility: The term transportation covers a number of areas including air travel, buses, taxis, and trains. An airport is accessible, if a person with a disability has no barrier in entering it, using all the facilities, and boarding and disembarking from airplanes.  This covers the built environment – surfaces, steps and ramps, corridors, entry ways, emergency exits, parking – as well as indoor and outdoor facilities including lighting, signage, alarm systems and toilets.
• Information and Communication Eco-System Accessibility:  Enhancing proportion of accessible and usable public documents and websites that meet internationally recognized accessibility standards. Enhancing the pool of sign language interpreters.