Like reserved ladies coaches, senior citizens in Mumbai may also get a reserved compartment in Mumbai local. In response to a public interest litigation filed in 2022, Indian Railways reportedly said that it is considering the reservation of one luggage compartment specifically for senior citizens in local trains.
As per ToI, the PIL highlighted that approximately 50,000 elderly commuters travel daily on suburban trains in Mumbai, facing difficulties in finding seats, as the limited 14 seats dedicated to seniors in the second class are often occupied by younger passengers during peak hours.
Recently, the railways filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court proposing the transformation and reservation of one luggage compartment for senior citizens. A survey conducted earlier revealed that nearly 90 per cent travelers in these compartments belong to the general category, while those carrying goods constitute only the remaining 10 per cent. Therefore, setting aside one of the four vendor compartments for senior citizens will not pose an issue for those holding vendor tickets.
“The train will be designed on the Vande Bharat platform but will not be air-conditioned. The interiors of the coaches will have a modern look and better amenities,” said a source. The train will have a dedicated locomotive on both ends so that it can be operated bi-directionally like the Vande Bharat trains.
The analysis of train area utilisation and passenger load distribution showed that luggage compartments occupy only 6.18 per cent of the area but carry a mere 0.32 per cent of the passenger load. On the other hand, general class compartments, occupying 71 per cent of the train area, carry 90 per cent of the passengers.Considering this data, an official told ToI that the general class compartments are already overcrowded, leaving little room for improvement. However, the underutilized luggage compartment presents an opportunity to enhance the comfort of senior citizens during their travels. The proposal aims to ensure that elderly passengers have a more comfortable and accommodating experience on local trains.
The initiative to reserve seats for senior citizens is not entirely new. In 2014, the Bombay High Court directed the Western Railway and Central Railway to allocate 14 seats for senior citizens in each suburban train and ensure that these seats are not occupied by others. The current plan to reserve an entire luggage compartment is expected to further address the needs of the elderly and make their travel experience more convenient.
