While every local train has a coach designated for the physically challenged, the visually impaired now want special privileges off the train too. The National Federation of the Blind has asked the Indian Railways to set up alternate ticket counters and vending machines at stations.

The Railways are acquiring more than 400 new ATVMs for Mumbai along with 170 coin and cash operated ticket vending machines. Although a slew of measures have been recently undertaken by the Indian Railways to reduce queues at ticket counters, including the introduction of mobile ticketing and coin/cash operated ticket vending machines, little has been done to ease matters for the disabled, says the Association.