Railway Rules for Handicapped / Divyangjan
The Government of India ensures equal opportunities for persons with disabilities and their full participation in nation-building. Indian Railways are making their best efforts to ensure the facilities for handicapped/disabled passengers / Divyangjan in trains and in stations. Details of Railway Rules for handicapped / Divyangjan are following.
- Earmarking of Reservation Quota for persons with Disabilities in Reserved Second Sitting (2S) / AC Chair Car (CC) ~ 31.03.2023
- Digitalising Issue of Divyangjan Photo ID cards
- Train Ticket Booking ~ User Guide for Divyangjan Concession
- Earmarking of accommodation in Power Car of LHB Rakes ~ Divyang Friendly
- Reservation in trains for Handicapped Passengers
- Facilities for Handicapped at Stations and Trains
- Concession in Rail Fare for Disabled Passengers
- Photo Identity Cards for Physically Challenged Persons
- Concession Certificate for persons with Disabilities ~ Download
- Revised Concession Forms for Person with Disabilities (Divyangjan) w.e.f 12.01.2018
- Various Concession Rules by Railway
- Recruitment on IR for Handicapped
- Concession Rules: Indian Railway: 2021
Earmarking of Reservation Quota for persons with Disabilities in Reserved Second Sitting (2S) / AC Chair Car (CC) ~ 31.03.2023
Indian Railways announced that IR have revised the reservation quota in Mail/Express trains for PwD’s and their attendants in which PwD’s have been allowed to book reserved tickets on concession. The allocation of specific berths is intended to cater to their unique needs and facilitate a comfortable journey.
The revised reservation quota for PwD’s and their attendants in Mail/Express trains is as follows:
- Four berths in Sleeper Class (two lower and two middle)
- Two berths in 3AC (one lower and one middle)
- Two berths in 3E class (one lower and one middle) (in those trains in which there is no 3A class and only 3E class coaches have been attached)
- Four berths in SLRD coach of Garib Rath Express trains on full fare. (two lower and two upper)
- Two seats in reserved Second Sitting (2S)/ air-conditioned Chair Car (CC) in those trains which have more than two coaches of these classes.
Passengers seeking the newly allocated reservation quota for PwDs and their attendants are advised to approach the designated railway booking counters or utilize the online reservation system to avail themselves of the benefits.
Earlier News
Earmarking of Reservation Quota for persons with Disability (Divyangjans) in 3E Class ~ 26.09.2022
Digitalising Issue of Divyangjan Photo ID cards
Central Railway announced that CR has launched “Divyangjan Module” for digitalizing the procedure of issue of photo identity cards to Divyangjan, with effect from 01.10.2022. Earlier, issue of photo identity card to Divyangjan was a manual procedure, but now with “Divyangjan Module” wherein the entire process from application to issue of photo identity card has become digital.
Divyangjans need not physically come to the Divisional Headquarters to apply for photo identity card. They can now register on http://divyanangjanid.indianrail.gov.in. After registration, required documents like concession certificate, form, photograph, Disability certificate, proof of date of birth, address and photo id have to be uploaded.
After the necessary documents are uploaded, required procedure will be followed and photo identity card will be issued digitally after successful verification and approval. The photo identity card can be downloaded and printed by the Divyangjan from the website.
Divyangjan passengers are requested to note and avail the same.
Train Ticket Booking ~ User Guide for Divyang Concession
Details of How to add Divyaangjan passenger in Master List of Passengers, Divyaangjan Concessional Booking Process and
Divyaangjan Quota Booking Process
How to add Divyaangjan passenger in Master List of Passengers
IRCTC eTicketing website allows storing the Passenger details in Master list module prior to booking, there is no need to type the details of passengers in Reservation form as details can be fetched from the Master list at the time of booking. Following are the details.
Divyaangjan Concessional Booking Process
As per Indian Railway Rules, concession in fare is admissible to Divyaang passengers booking their tickets on IRCTC eTicketing website. Further details are attached.
Divyaangjan Quota Booking Process
Details of how to book train ticket via Divyaangjan Quota are following.
Reservation in trains for Handicapped Passengers
- A reservation quota of ✅ two berths in 3AC and four berths in Sleeper Class has been earmarked in all trains running on non-suburban sections with concessional ticket. The person accompanying the persons with disability as escort is also allotted the berth out of this quota. The lower berths are meant for persons with disabilities and the middle/upper berth is meant for their escort.
- The facility to book concessional e-tickets online using ✅ Photo identity card has been introduced for the persons with disability. Concession based Internet ticketing for physically challenged persons is available using the Photo Identity Cards issued by Indian Railways for Concession based Internet ticketing.
- After departure of the train, if there are ✅ vacant lower berths available person with disability booked and got only upper/middle berth, he can approach TTE/Conductor for the lower berth.
- Mail/Express trains, the SLRD coaches should be treated as unreserved coaches earmarked for exclusive use of persons with disability.
- In case of ✅ Garib Rath Express trains these coaches are treated as reserved for booking by persons with disability travelling on the prescribed disability certificate on payment of full fare of 3 AC Class of Garib Rath Express on first come first served basis.
Facilities for Handicapped at Stations and Trains
Railway is providing many facilities for Handicapped persons at stations and Trains.
Facilities for Handicapped at Stations
- Signages in Braille script is being provided for differently-abled passengers so that they can easily locate their platform, coach, seats etc.
- ✅ Yatri Mitra Sewa for enabling passengers to book wheel chair services cum porter services free of cost through NGOs, Charitable trust, PSUs etc.
- ✅ Battery operated cars also available.
- In allotment of STD/PCO booths at Railway Stations, 25% booths have been reserved for physically handicapped persons (including blind) with disability of 40% and above.
- RPF Personnel are available in all stations.
- ✅ Wheel chairs facilities in Railway station
- Separate Reservation Counters
- Standard ramp with railing for barrier free entry
- Earmarking of at least one ✅ parking lot for two vehicles used by with disability passengers
- Non slippery walkway from parking lot to station building
- Signages of appropriate visibility.
- At least one drinking ✅ water tap suitable for use by a disabled
- Provision of ‘May I Help You” booth
- Escalators and Elevators at stations
- At least one disabled friendly ✅toilet on the ground floor
- The entry / exit ramp with proper slope of minimum 1 in 12 are provided.
- Non-slippery ramp, pathway and floor are provided in these types of toilets.
- Hand basin at low height of 780 mm with vertical grab bar is provided for proper grip near wash basin for easy use by Divyang.
- Low height seat with maximum pan height of 460 mm and side grab bar is provided.
- The maximum width of the entry/exit door is kept at 920 mm for proper accessing of wheel chair so that person using crutches and wheel chair can easily enter inside and use the toilets.
- Signage with bigger letter size is provided
In ‘A-1’, ‘A’ and ‘B’ category stations
- ✅ Provision of facility for inter-platform transfer.
- ✅ Engraving on edges of platform.
Facilities for Handicapped in Trains
- Specially designed coaches known as ✅ SLRD coaches with wider entrance doors, modified and larger lavatory are provided.
- Additional ✅ grab rails on the side walls for support, wash basin and mirror at lower height have been provided inside the toilets at the trains.
- ✅ Braille signages for visually impaired travellers.
Facilities for Divyaang Users on IRCTC eTicketing website and Mobile App
Facilities for Visually Impaired Users on IRCTC eTicketing website and Mobile App
Facilities for Visually Impaired users on IRCTC eTicketing website
- The entire e-ticketing booking on IRCTC website can be navigated through keyboard.
- Users have been provided with the option to ask One time password (OTP) in place of CAPTCHA (at Login page and Reservation page). This OTP can be submitted in place of captcha at the time of booking process.
- Along with OTP in place of captcha, a Voice-based captcha has been implemented on the website, Users can listen to voice-based captcha and submit on the login and reservation page.
- For a comfortable viewing experience, the option to resize the font of the whole eTicketing website has been provided at the header of the website.
- Microsoft Windows-based Narrator has been integrated on the website to help Divyaang users to hear out complete website elements and ticket booking process.
- IRCTC Website is compatible with “NVDA” software which is primarily used by Visually Impaired users for booking tickets.
Facilities for Visually Impaired users on IRCTC Rail Connect Android App
- IRCTC Rail connect mobile app is compatible with “Google talk back” accessibility feature (available on all Android devices). The feature allows users to listen to all mobile application elements and assists in booking tickets on mobile app through talk back facility.
- Users have been provided with the option to ask One time password (OTP) in place of CAPTCHA (at Login page and Reservation page). This OTP can be submitted in place of captcha at the time of booking process.
Concession in Rail Fare for Disabled Passengers
Concession in Rail fare to Disabled Passengers is given as under:-
The Concession for ✅ blind persons Travelling alone or with an Escort – for any purpose.
- 75% in 2nd, SL,1st Class, 3AC, AC chair Car.
- 50% in 1AC and 2 AC
- 25% in 3AC and AC Chair Car of Rajdhani/Shatabdi Trains
- The Concession for ✅ deaf and dumb person (both afflictions together in the same person) travelling alone or with an escort – For any purpose One escort is also eligible for same element of concession.
- 50% in 2nd, SL and 1st Class
- 50% in MST and QST
- One escort is also eligible for same element of concession
The concession for ✅ Mentally Retarded persons who cannot travel without escort – for any purpose
- 75% in 2nd, SL,1st Class, 3AC, AC chair Car.
- 50% in 1AC and 2 AC
- 25% in 3AC and AC Chair Car of Rajdhani/Shatabdi Trains
- 50% in MST and QST
- One escort is also eligible for same element of concession.
The concession for ✅ Divyang are Orthopaedically Handicapped/Paraplegic Persons who cannot travel without escort – for any purpose.
- 75% in 2nd, SL,1st Class, 3AC, AC chair Car.
- 50% in 1AC and 2 AC
- 25% in 3AC and AC Chair Car of Rajdhani/Shatabdi Trains
- 50% in First and Second class Monthly season ticket and Quarterly season ticket.
- One escort is also eligible for same element of concession.
| Railway Concession Rule for Handicapped | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category of Persons | Element of Concession | Purpose of Travel | Authority Required for availing Concession | |
| Class I | Class II/SL | |||
| Orthopedically Handicapped/Paraplegic persons who cannot travel without escort – for any purpose. However, can book ticket with or without escort. | 50% in 1AC and 2 AC and 75% in other classes in basic mail/express fares. 25% in 3-AC and CC of Rajdhani/Shatabdi Trains (for both) | For any purpose | Certificate issued by a Govt.Doctor in prescribed proforma | |
| Mentally retarded persons who cannot travel without escort – for any purpose. However, can book ticket with or without escort | 50% in 1AC and 2 AC and 75% in all other classes in basic mail/express fares. 25% in 3-AC and CC of Rajdhani/Shatabdi Trains (for both) | For any purpose | Certificate issued by a Govt.Doctor in prescribed proforma | |
| Blind persons travelling alone or with an escort | 50% in 1AC and 2 AC and 75% in all other classes in basic mail/express fares. 25% in 3-AC and CC in all inclusive fares of Rajdhani/Shatabdi Trains (for both) | For any purpose | Certificate issued by a Govt.Doctor in prescribed proforma | |
| Deaf & Dumb persons (both afflictions together in the same person), travelling alone or with an escort | 50% 50% | For any purpose | Certificate issued by a Govt.Doctor in prescribed proforma | |
Revised Rule for Disabled Passengers Concession by Railway
Konkan Railway announced that Railway decided to revise provisions for rail travel of patients of all category including Handicapped, paraplegic , orthopaedically etc. Till now, Orthopaedically Handicapped, Paraplegic Persons / Patients who were availing Rail Travel Concessions, if found travelling alone without an Escort, which was mandatory, were treated as travelling without ticket and were being charged with penalty as per the applicable rules issued from Ministry of Railways.
However, this condition has now been relaxed / revised w.e.f. 15.06.2016. It has now been permitted to Orthopaedically Handicapped, Paraplegic Persons / Patients availing Rail Travel Concessions to travel even without Escort, if they can, and they will not be treated as travelling without ticket and no penalty will be levied to them.
These revised provisions are applicable w.e.f. 15.06.2016 to esteemed Orthopaedically Handicapped, Paraplegic Persons / Patients with all other rail travel concession facility accordingly.
Photo Identity Cards for Physically Challenged Persons
Southern Railway are issuing photo identity cards with unique number to enable physically challenged persons to book concessional reserved tickets across PRS counters, e-tickets / i-tickets through IRCTC website and also concessional unreserved tickets across UTS counters throughout the country.
Over Tiruchchirappalli Division, 3794 cards have been issued till the end of September 2016 to eligible physically challenged persons. Further, 60 ID cards have been prepared and kept ready which are yet to be collected by the applicants.
Issue of Photo ID Card for the Physically Challenged Persons
Concession Certificate for persons with Disabilities
Revised Concession Forms for Person with Disabilities (Divyangjan) w.e.f 12.01.2018
Concession Certificate for Orthopedically handicapped / Paraplegic person / Patients who cannot travel without the assistance of an escort/mentally retarded person who cannot travel without an escort/completely blind person / totally deaf and dumb person are following.
Concession Certificate for persons with Disabilities Download
Recruitment on IR for Handicapped
Indian Railways are making their best efforts to fill up the vacancies reserved against physically handicapped quota. Railway Rules for Handicapped in ✅ Recruitment are following
- 3% of the vacancies in case of direct recruitment from open market to non gazetted posts are reserved for persons with disabilities (PWDs) of which 1% each are to be reserved for persons suffering from blindness or low vision, hearing impairment and locomotor disability or cerebral palsy in the posts identified for each disability Persons suffering from not less than 40% of relevant disability are eligible for such reservation.
- Ministry of Railways follows the guidelines of Department of Personnel and Training in such matters.