The corridors of power in the city, for the most part, still remain inaccessible to persons with disabilities. An accessibility report on 50 government buildings compiled by Bengaluru-based NGO Sama Foundation shows that only Vikasa Soudha provides the most barrier-free environment for the differently-abled.
The report was submitted to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in October. “We conducted our report based on a number of parameters given by the government, including the physical feature of a building for accessibility, whether information available was in disabled-friendly formats (Braille, audio guides) and if the staff was trained to deal with the needs of persons with disabilities. We found that most government buildings do not meet the guidelines. While most have ramps, they are not as per prescribed standards,” Ramanathan, director, Sama Foundation, said.
According to Sama, one of the reasons why Vikasa Soudha provides accessibility is because the building is relatively new, unlike a majority of the government offices. It has wide doors, corridors that allow people on wheelchairs to manoeuvre easily, and separate disabled-friendly restrooms. Other positive features of the building include having operating person for elevators, good accessibility to the cafeteria and signages — though not in Braille. Introducing audio systems to help the visually-impaired and wheelchairs at all floors will be of great help, says the report. However, Vikasa Soudha is an exception. Important building such as Vidhana Soudha, the renovated Town Hall, Visvesvaraya Museum, BBMP head office and Victoria Hospital and educational institutions were found to be lacking in most parameters. Even the office of the State Commissionerate for Persons with Disabilities in Sheshidripuram is not barrier-free. Though the building has a ramp, there is no Braille signage or audio guides for sight and hearing impaired. H.C. Padmanabha, Assistant Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in the State, acknowledges the irony. “Many government offices, including our own, are not accessible to persons with disabilities,” he said. Referring to how departments have fared in implementing barrier-free environments, he said, “The Education Department has done better than other departments, with most new schools being set up under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan following norms for accessibility.” But Mr. Ramanathan said that there’s plenty of room for improvement in schools. “We work with government schools and most of them are a long way from being disabled-friendly. Most don’t have toilets for persons with disabilities. Only the presence of ramps, most of which defy prescribed norms, cannot make them barrier-free,” he said.
Citizens keen to make High Court more accessible
Bengaluru: A group of citizens recently submitted a petition to the High Court Registrar (Administration) asking for the High Court to be made more accessible to persons with disabilities. While the High Court has a few ramps connecting to a few buildings on the premises, they are situated at the back and difficult to locate, said Smita Ulchil, one of the petitioners and a member of One Step at a Time (OSAAT), an organisation working with persons with disabilities. “There are many entrances ... but all of them do not have ramps and there is no signage indicating where the ramps are located,” she said. It was not sufficient to put a ramp without making it easy for persons with disabilities to access the building. “A friend with a prosthetic was not allowed to bring his car inside the premises for security reasons and had to park at a distance. He had to walk on uneven surfaces, something he found difficult,” she said. Registrar (Administration) T.G. Shivashankare Gowda received the petition and acknowledged that better signage would help persons with disabilities navigate the premises better. He promised to install braille signage on the premises soon.
A look at buildings
All buildings have ramps, but this alone does not make them barrier-free. A look at accessibility in some of the key government buildings in Bengaluru:
Vidhan Souhda
For a massive building like this, there aren’t enough ramps for easy access. Also, there are no signages or audio systems to assist persons with disabilities.
High Court
Of the north, central and south wing of the High Court, only the central wing has a ramp. However, there is no provision for parking for persons with disability.
University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering
The main entrance only has steps. There is no alternative accessible entrance to the building for wheelchair-users. No ramps have been provided. There are neither signages nor designated parking space for persons with disability.
BBMP head office
The Council building does not have a ramp. Also, the steps have not been provided with handrails. There are no visible signage signifying accessible entrance, exit and washrooms. Though the main building has a ramp, the slope is not as per required standards.
IISc.
The admin block complies with most norms. The Biological Sciences Department has a ramp, but it is slippery and reflective. The canteen has no ramps and accessibility is through a series of steps.
M.S. Building
The multi-storey building near Vidhana Soudha does not have any disabled-freindly restrooms. Also, it lacks signages and there are multiple obstructions on the corridors. The floor is also slippery.
(Courtesy: SAMA Foundation: Access audit report)
