Forty-five years is a long time; sufficient time to turn superfluities into necessities. Cambrae East, an apartment complex on Cresent Salai Road in Egmore, is that old. For much of its existence, it had done without a ramp. Two years ago, a ramp became a necessity in the light of frequent ambulance visits, which necessitate a stretcher being taken up to the lift.
“There are many senior citizens at the apartment complex now, and some of them stay alone. A ramp is a necessity here,” says Sudir Paul, treasurer, Cambrae East Apartments Owners Association.
Sudir, who was secretary at that time, says the challenge was installing a ramp without letting it gobble up too much space. What they did to get around this constraint only illustrates the disadvantage of introducing a ramp later on, and not having it built into the design at the planning stage.
“So, we went in for a hard-plywood ramp, approximately 8-feet-long and four-feet-wide, with carpet laid on it. A compromise had to be made on space. A longer ramp would be more user-friendly, but this is the most we could do. That should not take away from the value of the ramp. It proves its worth when an ambulance is called, and a stretcher has to be moved up to the lift. It is a handy prop for residents to transport trolley bags. As the ramp runs alongside a flight of stairs, someone can walk on the steps, while wheeling away the trolley bag. Things could have been better for anyone in the wheelchair, though.
“This ramp is not particularly friendly to them, being a little too steep for them. They would find the descent easy, but not the ascent. The support of two people would be needed for that.”
Sudir does not fail to point out how the lift can’t take a stretcher — again to highlight the disadvantage that can come from not building a thorough access-philosophy into the design process.
However, it is indeed commendable that a residents association has taken the thought and trouble to install a ramp — never mind that the initiative came 45 years later.
