With 1 more lift by June, city rly jn to get more disabled-friendly

Coimbatore: Platforms 1 and 2 of Coimbatore Junction may become more accessible to people with disabilities and senior citizens by June.
The platforms, which can now be accessed only via steps and escalators which are often switched off, will get an elevator by May-end. This will allow people in wheelchairs to move around independently.

Railway officials told TOI that they plan to install a lift connecting the passenger corridor with the platforms by May 31. “All the material required for installing the lift has arrived. The engineering team is now working at the site. Once they are done, the electrical team will start and finish their portion. We expect the lift to be installed by the original deadline — May 31,” said the official.

Most of the Chennai and Kerala-bound trains arrive and depart from the platforms, making them the most used ones.

One of Coimbatore Junction’s drawbacks has been its inaccessibility, especially for old people and those with disablities. The junction has ramps and escalators at every platform, but they remain inaccessible for wheelchair users. “Quadriplegics, paraplegics and senior citizens find it difficult to use the facility,” said founder of Swarga Foundation G Swarnalatha. “For such people, elevators are vital”.

In January, the railway inaugurated an elevator to platforms 3 and 4, from where a majority of long distance trains depart. However, passengers who head to Chennai and Metttupalayam have been complaining about platforms 1 and 2 remaining inaccessible.

“Aged people take 15 to 20 minutes to climb the stairs, suffering pain and discomfort. Battery-powered cars are not always available,” said Adil Gautam, who accompanied his grandmother. “Since we have to assist them, we hire porters to carry luggage and they use the opportunity to fleece us,” he added.