A group of 23 wheelchair users, who are part of the Wheelchair Flying Club, on Saturday took a ride on the Delhi Metro for the first time to carry out a unique access audit of the system. The members travelled from Rajouri Garden Metro station to Akshardham Metro station and back, and expressed satisfaction with the system.
During their travel, the group availed all the facilities that have been put in place by the Delhi Metro for convenience of wheelchair users.
Be it the lifts exclusively meant for wheelchairs users, the wide automatic fare collection gates, using the designated location inside the train meant for them or availing the benefit of charging their battery-operated wheelchairs from electrical points available inside the Metro coach, the group made use of all the equipment to gauge its efficacy.
Group member Neeru Gautam said the club members also comprised four patients of the Institute of Spinal Injuries, Vasant Kunj.
“We boarded different compartments of the train, and were assisted by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation staff during the travel.” Ms. Gautam said the club members found the travel very comfortable. They only suggest want more signages near the Akshardham Temple to guide wheelchair users.
Meanwhile, the DMRC said the Delhi Metro system was one of the most disabled-friendly public transport systems in the country, and that all stations had ramps from the streets to enable wheelchair-bound persons directly roll up to the lifts. Control panels inside all lifts are placed at a low level so that such persons can access them without having to strain themselves. Besides, there are buttons with inscriptions in Braille for the visually-disabled.
