Bring back announcements at Chennai Central Station, say disability groups
The Hindu
Southern Railway’s move to make the busy terminal ‘silent’ draws loud protests
The Southern Railway’s initiative to turn Dr. MGR Ramachandran Central Railway Station into a ‘silent’ railway station by turning off audio including the public announcement system has failed to impress a section of the public.
Three groups (if not more) that work for the welfare of the differently-abled have written to the Southern Railway to “bring back the announcements”.
On March 1, Tamilnadu Association for the Rights of all Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers made a representation to the General Manager, Southern Railway to restore the ‘audio announcement system’ at Chennai Central Station. The Association labelled the new arrangement a hostile step by the Railway to silence the rights of the disabled.
The Rights of the Persons with Disabilities Act-2016 mandates that the railways make all the stations accessible to persons with disabilities, and this accessibility includes creating provisions for making audio and video announcements, the note reads.
Members of December 3 Movement, a collective voice for persons with disabilities, have said the decision lacked “logic”.
A letter signed by TMN Deepak, state president, says when accessible announcements are denied it automatically confers and qualifies for commission of discrimination on persons with disabilities.
Professor K Raghuraman representing Tamil Nadu State Advisory Board for the Differently Abled met the Divisional Railway Manager on March 1 to hand over the association’s grievance.
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