With
the capital city's markets, parks and public places yet to have
facilities for disabled persons, social leaders and urban planners are
of the view that the new corporators of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) should begin a drive to ensure the facilities.
The new team of representatives can raise the issue at the corporation meeting and make effort in every ward to create facilities for disabled persons.
"May it be crossing a road, accessing a public office, market or park, the city is yet to be friendly for the disabled. While there is hardly any Braille signage for the blind, there are very few ramps for the wheel-chair bound in government offices and markets," said chairman of Indian Institute of Architect Sanjib Guru.
Although many big government offices have lifts, they don't have a ramp at the entrance, said Sannyash Behera of Odisha Disabled People's Network.
"We had a discussion with BMC official regarding disabled-friendly facilities. BMC had promised to create auditory signals at various places for visually impaired persons. But that has not been implemented. Second, the state government has also not invested enough funds for creating exclusive facilities. Third, the town planning rules are obsolete. They need to be changed so that it is made mandatory to have barrier free access of all disabled person to the public places," said Behera. He said that no traffic signal had a voice guidance system or tactile zebra crossing to negotiate the path by a blind person.
Disabled rights activist Sruti Mohapatra said every ward in the city should have a guide and facilitation centre for the disabled. "Even in private buildings, we should ensure that these have lifts, signage and approach path," said Mohapatra.
Two national highways crisscross the city but the new decongestion plan has nothing for the disabled, said urban planer Piyush Rout. "Though around four underpasses will come up on the highway in city, none will have ramps. These will have steps. There is no special consideration for the disabled but the footpaths being developed along side the NH can be user-friendly to all categories of people," said Rout.
Source : TOI, 22nd Dec 2013
The new team of representatives can raise the issue at the corporation meeting and make effort in every ward to create facilities for disabled persons.
"May it be crossing a road, accessing a public office, market or park, the city is yet to be friendly for the disabled. While there is hardly any Braille signage for the blind, there are very few ramps for the wheel-chair bound in government offices and markets," said chairman of Indian Institute of Architect Sanjib Guru.
Although many big government offices have lifts, they don't have a ramp at the entrance, said Sannyash Behera of Odisha Disabled People's Network.
"We had a discussion with BMC official regarding disabled-friendly facilities. BMC had promised to create auditory signals at various places for visually impaired persons. But that has not been implemented. Second, the state government has also not invested enough funds for creating exclusive facilities. Third, the town planning rules are obsolete. They need to be changed so that it is made mandatory to have barrier free access of all disabled person to the public places," said Behera. He said that no traffic signal had a voice guidance system or tactile zebra crossing to negotiate the path by a blind person.
Disabled rights activist Sruti Mohapatra said every ward in the city should have a guide and facilitation centre for the disabled. "Even in private buildings, we should ensure that these have lifts, signage and approach path," said Mohapatra.
Two national highways crisscross the city but the new decongestion plan has nothing for the disabled, said urban planer Piyush Rout. "Though around four underpasses will come up on the highway in city, none will have ramps. These will have steps. There is no special consideration for the disabled but the footpaths being developed along side the NH can be user-friendly to all categories of people," said Rout.
Source : TOI, 22nd Dec 2013
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