NEW DELHI: Wheelchair users from Samarthya Centre for Promotion of Barrier Free Environment for Disabled People, who were the first to put foot on the Delhi Metro while doing an access audit for the disabled, have given the thumbs up sign to the low floor buses introduced by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) here on Thursday.

Expressing satisfaction with the new buses, Sanjeev Sachdev described the vehicles -- which have been designed after much deliberations with the user groups -- as a "good beginning''. He said introduction of the buses should pave the way for a 100 per cent handicapped-friendly fleet just the way DTC has turned to the cleaner CNG.

Noting that the price tag of the new buses was around Rs. 35 lakhs along with the research element, he said the cost would come down with numbers and gradually come very close to the Rs 18-lakh figure for ordinary buses. Also, Mr Sachdev said the IIT Delhi team of Professor Dinesh Mohan and Dr. Geetam Tiwari along with Samarthya would now conduct an access audit of the new buses.

``Since the height of the chassis of these buses is 38 cm, we have suggested that all the bus stops along one of the routes from Central Secretariat to CGO Complex should be raised to that level to allow easy access to wheelchair users and other disabled persons. And mere construction of a ramp at these bus stops would make them suitable for the purpose,'' he said.

Mr Sachdev insisted that the present gradient of the ramp of around 1:3 was too much for a wheel-chair user to access without any aid and so there was a need to raise the height of all bus stops along the route. Also, it has been suggested that the DTC staff should be sensitised through a workshop on how they should deal with the mobility aid users as only then will the system become fully disabled-friendly.

Anjali Agarwal of Samarthya said the buses were ``very comfortable and user-friendly'' and comparatively very east to board. Also, she said, they have space for two wheelchairs and clasps to ensure that they do not move during the journey. The buses are equipped with stop request buttons that allow passengers to ask the driver to stop.

Stating that there is a wheel chair logo on the barrier-free bus, she said, the ramp-out flash that works when the ramp is deploying or retracting is also quite impressive. Since the bus had been designed by Tatas on the basis of the feedback provided by several users following a mock-up two years ago, Ms Aggarwal said it also gives fewer jerks during travel.

For the visually challenged, too, the bright interiors of the buses provide the correct surrounding while the address system makes their travel more reassuring. And those suffering for hearing problems have a display signboard to know about the route and destination. However, the display is yet to be activated as the financial arrangement over it has not been reached.

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