Navigating systemic hurdles

Thirty-eight-year-old Abdeali Kalyanwala lives in Kalyan, Mumbai. Born with vision impairment, he studied at Happy Home Blind School until grade 7. The school didn’t offer higher classes, and moving to a mainstream school wasn’t possible for him at the time.

Today, Abdeali has built a life of purpose. He teaches the Quran in Braille to children, passing on knowledge in a format accessible to those who cannot see. He also runs a small spices business, working to maintain his independence. When his income proved insufficient, he decided to apply for government railway concessions for disabled persons – a basic right that would help him expand his business opportunities.

He contacted the Eyeway Helpdesk for guidance. Following the counsellor’s advice, he visited Ulhasnagar Civil Hospital with the required set of documents – Aadhar card, Unique Disability ID (UDID), and disability certificate. The hospital rejected his application, stating he needed a State Government issued disability certificate. He returned another day to get this processed, along with his railway concession form. This distinction between central and state documentation began a months-long journey through bureaucratic channels.

Next, Abdeali applied for an online railway concession card. He received a message that his card was ready, but when he tried to download it, he found it had been removed by the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) officer. The DRM office informed him that the card was “modified” and asked him to visit their office with his documents.

Unable to travel alone, Abdeali requested an online process. The office initially refused but agreed after multiple requests and support from Eyeway. Yet technical issues prevented him from downloading the card, forcing him to make the difficult trip to the DRM office. There, he learned his card had been deleted because the doctor’s details on the offline form were not properly stamped, an error outside his control.

The process reveals critical gaps in the system. Hospitals have different procedures for disability certificates. The process for issuing UDID cards and State Government Disability certificates lacks standardization. The online system suffers from technical problems and poor communication. Government offices fail to account for people who can’t travel easily due to their physical limitations. Verification procedures are unclear, leading to multiple visits.

Abdeali’s experience shows the challenges visually impaired people face in accessing basic services and state sponsored provisions. To get a simple railway concession card, he had to visit multiple offices, handle rejections, and work through unclear procedures.

In today’s Digital India with innovative technology solutions, shouldn’t it be easier to include blind and visually impaired people into the mainstream of things?

Team Eyeway