CSR: Railway stations in India are being made more accessible for the Specially-abled with CSR support

Chennai, India: Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. (NMIPL) today announced the completion of phase 2 of its partnership with Indian Railways and NGO Anuprayaas to make railway stations more accessible for people with visual, hearing, or other impairments and those using wheelchairs. The third phase of the partnership covering 17 more stations in Chennai and other locations were announced by Rakesh Srivastava, MD, NMIPL and Shri Eerya Bhukya Vishwanath, DRM, Chennai Division, Southern Railway at a media briefing session.

Nissan India’s accessibility project, which started in 2022, aims to transform over 15 stations every year for a three-year period, to empower people with visual and hearing disabilities, and people using wheelchairs, to travel independently and with dignity by reducing their dependency on others while travelling.

Commenting on the initiative, Rakesh Srivastava, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said, “As a brand that considers Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as part of its core ethos, Nissan is committed to promoting social inclusivity and strengthening community welfare. We believe that mobility should be for all and transcend limitations. Railways are a key lifeline for travel and mobility in our country and we are honoured to be working with Indian Railways on this project to enhance accessibility at railway stations. We are proud to have completed work on 30 railway stations across India and to continue this initiative at 17 more stations.”

Under the first phase of Nissan’s accessibility project, which commenced on August 1, 2022, the company installed across 15 railway stations in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra including Chennai Central, Ghatkopar, Bombay Sion, Erode, Yeshwanthpur-Tambaram, Chengalpattu, and Madurai. The second stage of the project commenced on August 1, 2023, across 15 railway stations in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra including Chennai Fort, Chennai Beach, Chrompet and St. Thomas Mount. With this completion of the second phase, Nissan Motor India started working on phase 3 of the project, which will cover 17 more stations in Chennai division, which includes Chennai Beach, Kattankulathur, Saidapet, Meenambakkam, Mambalam, Chrompet, Kodambakkam, Ambattur, Guduvancheri, Pallavaram, Tambaram Sanitorium, Kanchipuram, St. Thomas Mount, Chennai Chetpet, Vandalur, Nungambakkam and Tirusulam.

For people with visual disabilities, the initiative provides guiding braille indicators at platforms and railings to identify platform numbers, a braille station map and information booklet, and braille signs for facilities. Other accessibility features include reflective strips at stairs for people with low vision, sign language videos about the station (linked to a QR code), a portable ramp and wheelchair for the divyang coach, and disability awareness sessions for railway staff.

Though over 26.8 million people in India are differently abled, only three percent of public spaces are accessible to them. Many are highly dependent on public transport, including the railways. Yet, there is a lack of public facilities to assist PWDs to travel independently. Through the programme, Nissan Motor India is making journeys and transportation more inclusive, convenient, and accessible for all.