Mumbai: Railway to create separate compartment for senior citizens in local train

The Indian Railway probably reserves at least one luggage compartment for senior citizen in Mumbai to make travel easier for them. The Bombay High Court received a public lawsuit in 2022 that called for the creation of an elderly-only chamber. Additionally, it has been stated that an affidavit about the matter was also submitted to court by the railway's administration.

According to a report of TOI, PIL said that around 50,000 senior citizens commute daily in suburban trains in the financial capital. Petitioner KP Purushothamam Nair, himself a senior citizen, aged 66, had emphasised that it is difficult for the elderly to find a place to  sit as the limited 14 seats dedicated to seniors in the second class are often occupied by younger commuters during the peak hours.

A recent survey also found that switching one vendor compartment out of four for passengers won't create any problems because luggage compartments only take up 6.18 percent of the capacity on a 12-car train. It only uses 0.32 percent of the overall capacity, though. More than 30% of its real capacity is carried by passengers travelling in ordinary class.    

The official said, This figure reveals that there is not much scope in general coach as it is overcrowded. Whereas, the luggage compartment is underutilised. So, it is better to have one luggage compartment set aside for senior citizens. A 12-car coach on CR has 4 general first class compartments with 88 seats, 3 ladies with 39 seats and 38 seats in two compartments for the physically-challenged.