Article of the Week

New Delhi: The Inaccessible City

The inaccessibility of our buildings be it colleges, banks malls, or government offices, not only aggravates the plight of the disabled but is a blot on mankind itself. It highlights the selfish and unsympathetic nature of the privileged ones among us towards the few of those who are differently abled.

The architectural hostility of almost all our buildings towards the disabled is however, not to be blamed on the architects and builders alone. After all they have no guidelines to abide by!

The Ministry of Urban Development did issue 'guidelines' for a barrier-free built environment for the disabled and elderly persons in 1998 and amended the building bylaws in August 2002. Now, the New Delhi building byways are set to get a makeover.

Accessibility is a big focus in the proposed, updated byways. However, a Non Governmental Organization, Svayam has drawn attention to massive loopholes in the accessibility clauses.

"We want to generate public debate on the anomaly before these proposals reach the law stage," said Jindal Saw Limited managing director Swinu Jindal, at the helm of the business house that runs Svayam. One important clause of the byways states that access for the disabled shall conform to the standards published by the Chief Commissioner of Disabilities (CCD).

According to Jindal, the Office of the CCD does not have any such standards to begin with. Also, according to another clause, the accessibility report of a building prepared by an architect should conform to a format determinedby the office of the CCD. Interestingly, the office of the CCD doesn't have such a format.

Manoj Kumar, Chief Commissioner for persons with Disabilities of the Ministry of Social Justice, agrees that the archaic rules need updating. He was reported to have informed the Ministry of Urban Development to update the exiting guidelines and make the buildings more user friendly.

Kumar denied that it was the responsibility of his office to publish such standards for the architects. "We are an agency that monitors whether the standards have been complied with or not. The role of the Ministry of Social Justice is to get various ministries to implement the Disabilities Act of 1995. We have to check whether implementation is being done. That is what we have been doing.

Suo moto notice of inaccessibility has been taken and concerned organizations directed to carry out retrofitting to make these offices accessible. Organizations that haven't complied within stipulated time were summoned by out special court," he added.

Cashing in on the ambiguity about the standards, callous builders and architects continue to flout bylaws with impunity. One solution, agree both Jindal and Kumar, is the appointment of an access inspector by civic bodies. "No building certificate should be issued before the inspector ensures compliance with access bylaws. He should check accessibility at various stages of construction," says Kumar.

But the celebrated architect Pradeep Sachdev says that another inspector may further complicate, the already complex maze of clearance involves the Urban Arts Commission, the fire department and the many layers of the MCD. Sachdev also opined that a reasonably educated engineer sensitized to access may just do the trick. Of course, watchdogs like the Disability Commissioner should ensure implementation.

Experiences and observations of the disabled on the inaccessible nature of Delhi recorded during a campaign initiated by Hindustan Times

"An accident has left me temporarily confined to the wheelchair. Recently, I accompanied some business visitors from Europe to Cottage Industries (CCI) at Connaught Place and the state emporia on Baba Kharag Singh Marg. To our horror, none of the outlets had special access for wheelchairs. Nor were the assistants willing to help.

Response: "There is a small ramp for the disabled. Special staff has been employed at the reception to escort the physically challenged. However, being an old construction the building does not have an access to the first floor for the disabled," replies Harvinder Singh, showroom additional general manager, CCI.

"I am 27 years old disabled man. Last year, I visited Gargi College for permission to put up few posters on World Disability Day. To reach the administrative office, you have to climb stairs which do not have any support railings, nor a ramp for wheelchair users.

Response: "We've been giving accessibility a thought. In fact, we have had briefed the architect for our new auditorium to keep in mind access for all kinds of disabilities at the planning stage itself," said Gargi Principal, Meera Ramachandran

"I am a business post-graduate with muscular dystrophy and would like to share some of my observations about how inaccessible Delhi is. At places such as the road connecting Noida and Delhi, the pavement is almost two feet higher than the road.

A person with accessibility needs is likely to fall while trying to use it. The inter-platform walk at railway stations is only for the best in health. Try crossing the New Delhi Railway Station from the Ajmeri Gate end to the Paharganj Gate end.

Board the bus at your risk. The footboard of all the private buses is more than a feet high. Even an elderly person might find it a challenge to board it. Beyond a cost-benefit rationale, many of the accessible structural implementations can be addressed.

Source: Tracking access. The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 24 June 2006.