GUANGZHOU - A disabled passenger has lodged an appeal against a metro company for allegedly not allowing him to enjoy favorable policies on the subway.

Zhu Mingjian, 25, who has a lame right leg, was refused permission by the Guangzhou Metro Corporation on Aug 28 to take a preferential ride between Shiqiao station in the Panyu district and the downtown Tianhe coach terminal.

The Yuexiu district people's court in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, accepted the appeal on Thursday but is yet to decide when the trial will start, according to Zhu's lawyer Liu Jianhua.

Zhu showed his level 3 disability certificate before he tried to get onto the train but subway workers at the Shiqiao station rejected his preferential ride.

"They told me only people with level 1 and level 2 disability certificates can enjoy favorable transport policies. It's absolutely a violation of the current regulation for us disabled people," said Zhu.

China issues four levels of disability certificates, with level 1 considered the most seriously disabled.

Under the Guangzhou disabled person rights assurance regulation and the Guangdong provincial regulation for aiding disabled persons, people with disability certificates are offered free or half-priced tickets when they take public transport.

"The metro company's internal regulation, for sure, is against the current provincial and city's preferential policies for disabled persons," lawyer Liu said.

"The rejection is discrimination against disabled people with a level 3 or lower level disability certificate."

Zhu is asking for a public apology and 50,000 yuan ($7,500) in compensation for mental suffering and the refund of a 7-yuan subway fee.

A press official surnamed Ye from the corporation told China Daily the company would not comment on the appeal as it had yet to receive the court summons.

Zhu was not the first disabled person to sue public transport companies for allegedly rejecting their rights to favorable policies.

Xia Chuhui, who lost his right leg in an accident, lodged a suit against a Guangzhou bus company in 2008 for being denied a half-priced ticket in Guangzhou because his disability certificate was not issued in the city.

China Daily

(China Daily 12/03/2010 page4)