Silver Seats, Golden Move: Mumbai Trains to Prioritize Elderly Commuters

In a first-of-its-kind initiative to promote commuter dignity and security, Western Railway has announced inducting special senior citizen coaches in local trains in Mumbai. The decision follows a Bombay High Court directive and growing public demand, and has the specific objective of easing the daily troubles of over 50,000 senior commuters on the city's notoriously overcrowded rail network.

Key Highlights:

- One baggage van in every train will be reserved as a senior citizen coach in all 105 non-AC rakes—90 twelve-coach and 15 fifteen-coach trains.
- Each coach will have 13 seats and 91 standing space, with various entry and exit points to improve boarding during peak hours.
- The new coaches will be accommodated as the seventh coach from the Churchgate end, replacing one of the two existing luggage vans.
- The ₹5.4 crore project is already underway and will be finished in a year.
- The move follows a Public Interest Litigation that revealed the risk that poses to senior citizens traveling by bus during rush hour.

Prospects:

This shift is a significant move towards universal urban mobility, achieving a balance between infrastructure efficiency and compassion. As Mumbai's lifeline continues to develop, this senior citizen coach program could serve as an example for other Indian metropolitan public transportation systems.

Sources: Indian Express, OneIndia, News18