The city corporation has issued warning notices to more than a thousand commercial establishments that have not made their buildings disabled-friendly or have encroached upon pavements. Officers of Teynampet zone, which includes Mylapore, Nungambakkam, Royapettah and parts of T Nagar, have issued notices to 750 small shops and hotels.
The corporation had earlier said it would suspend licences of establishments that are inaccessible to the disabled and those who have taken over pavements.
"We've given them some time to construct ramps before a March 31 deadline and remove anything that may obstruct pedestrians," a corporation official said. Apart from hawkers setting up shop on pavements, several retail and commercial outlets also violate space meant for pedestrians. Some display their products on pavements, while others have converted pavements into parking lots.
After a survey found that several thousand commercial and multi-storey buildings in the city had no facilities for the disabled, the corporation, following the National Building Code of India, 2005, decided to issue warning notices.
"The differently-abled and the elderly must be able to get in to any shop or eatery without help," said a corporation official. "We have instructed all officers to ensure that owners of commercial establishments do not park their vehicles or allow customers to park on footpaths."
If the corporation sticks to its promise, those violating norms may lose licences. And those operating without licences can be proceeded against under the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919.
Those seeking new licences or renewing old ones are also mandated to display name boards in Tamil, not connect sewer lines to storm water drains and provide CCTV cameras on the premises. Printing institutions will have to maintain a register with details of advertisers, including name, address and contact number.
The corporation of Chennai had earlier said it would suspend licences of establishments that are inaccessible to the disabled and shops that have taken over pavements
Source: TOI,19th March 2015
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