As a lack of know-how cripples the good intentions of pvt and public agencies, going to shop or even taking a bus remains a hurdle for the differently-abled Aman Rastogi, a post-graduate student of business administration, suffers from muscular dystrophy a genetic disorder which makes it difficult for adults like him to do things that most people take for granted, like sitting and walking. For Aman, going to his classes is a daily hurdle, made more difficult by the inhospitable city. As the 20-something student puts it, ``At places, such as the Noida-Delhi link road, the pavement is almost two feet high. Even a normal person would find it difficult to climb on to such a steep pavement!''
``Just try wheeling down Ajmeri Gate towards the Paharganj-end of New Delhi Railway Station and you would know what a person with handicap faces in the city at public places.''
One would have expected the city to have changed for people like Aman after directions from the high court in January to both the Centre and the Delhi government to make all public places disabled-friendly. But as Times City found out the talk of making Delhi ``barrier-free'' mostly remains on paper. Starting from going to the local market, park, cinema hall, railway station or airport, a person with handicaps is forced to depend on an escort. As activists point out, no amount of reservations in educational institutes or jobs and policies or schemes would be of any use to people with disabilities, if they cannot access the outside world independently. As Javed Abidi of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment to Disabled Persons points out: ``Only cosmetic changes have been made in public buildings so far. Not a single building comes to my mind which can be called truly disabled-friendly. Potable ramps have been put up, but the gradient is so steep that a person on a wheelchair can hardly tackle that.''
With increased awareness though, even private developers are trying to incorporate disabled-friendly features in their malls or cineplexes. But despite their best intentions, these features are hardly serving the purpose, as builders are not aware of the ``universal design'' or specifications. Case in point is a new mall in Saket which has a slippery ramp without any railing. `` When I visited the mall, it was very difficult for me to climb the ramp without assistance. Even the toilets were not accessible,'' says Abidi. A model example of a shopping arcade which is close to being fully disabled-friendly is Dilli Haat. Says Sanjay Kapoor, an exporter, ``An accident has temporarily me confined to a wheelchair. I understood what a disabled person faces all his life when I recently accompanied some business associates from Europe to some stores in CP and Baba Kharak Singh Marg. None of these outlets had ramps.''
Making a building disabled-friendly means much more than providing just a ramp. The visually-impaired need guide blocks and signages in braille and lifts with sound prompts to help them move freely inside the building. Says Shivani Gupta, who studied architecture for eight years to work towards a barrier-free environment, ``The private developers need to be sensitised to the need of people with disabilities.'' Gupta, who is bound to a wheelchair, has co-founded the NGO, AccessAbility.
Another NGO, Svayam, is working with NDMC to build the first of its kind public conveniences that will be accessible to people on wheelchairs. ``We have supervised the construction of 150 toilets at every stage by giving NDMC the universal design concept and also conducted various audits,'' says Abha Negi, MD, Svayam. ``Most of us are not aware of the comforts of a barrier-free environment. It was only when I travelled by a private airlines this time, did I realise the convenience of having a L-shaped ramp leading to the aircraft,'' she adds.
Though NGOs are working in tandem with government agencies, a lot needs to be done to make public transport accessible. Says Shobhit Yadav, a government school teacher who is visually impaired, ``Walking on Delhi's roads is like being in a war zone. It has happened many times that I have fallen into a pothole. There are subways, but how do you get there? Either the slope is too high or they end in stairs.'' Yadav, also a member of the National Blind Youth Association, relates how transporters discourage people like him from boarding buses. ``Many a times, we are asked to step down at red lights. We prefer to wait for a DTC bus as private buses often refuse to accept our passes. Also, the footboard of a private bus is very high.''
The situation may change with BRT, hopes Anjalee Agarwal of Samarthyam, National Centre for Accessible Environment, as buses and shelters are being designed by IIT experts.
``Transportation in the city has taken a leap with Delhi Metro, which is perhaps the only mode accessible to people with reduced mobility. DTC is also using low-floor buses,'' says Agarwal.