At a time when millions across the nation are resorting to booking tickets online, people with disability still have to follow the old procedure of buying it in booking counters at railway stations.

“Any facility or scheme introduced by the Centre or States should be made available to all sections of the society,” C. Govindakrishnan, founder trustee of Nethrodaya, said during the 12th anniversary celebration of the institution on Sunday.

To begin with, the separate booking counter for the differently abled at the stations is either usually closed or not manned, he said. Invariably, the visually impaired struggle in queues before the regular counters. “When senior citizens can book tickets online, why are we denied this facility? If verification of the disability through a certificate is the issue here, we can always produce it at the time of travel,” he added.

If at all the special counters function, they open just an hour ahead of the train’s departure, said M. Pandian, a visually impaired person. “At the regular counters, the staff often complicate the procedure. On several occasions, I have returned home, cancelling my trip because I was not able buy a ticket,” he added.

R. Prabhakaran, an advocate, told The Hindu that a few years ago, the Railways had argued that if such a facility was introduced, it would be misused by the common people. Later, the Delhi High Court said that such flimsy grounds cannot be given for not implementing it. “We will take up this issue in court if it is not implemented in the near future,” he said.