Maneka asks for barrier-free cities, trains as ASI announces ramps at Taj, Khaju

Maneka asks for barrier-free cities, trains as ASI announces ramps at Taj, Khaju
SREELATHA MENON

NEW DELHI, FEB 11: The disabled in the country can celebrate not only because the ongoing census for the first time recognises their presence, but because the Archaelogical Survey of India has decided to make about 34 national monuments -- including the Taj Mahal and Khajuraho temples -- accessible to them. In addition, Minister of Social Justice and Environment Maneka Gandhi has written to three ministers asking for barrier-free trains, roads, lifts and buildings.

According to ASI Assistant Director (Monuments) B. Bakshi, a decision to set up ramps at heritage sites was taken by the Culture Minister Ananth Kumar and ASI Director-General Komal Anand last week.

He said ramps would be constructed at all 34 world heritage monuments inthe country. In the first phase, 14 monuments would be covered and the rest would be inclded in subsequent phases. Bakshi said this decision had nothing to do with the recent controversy over an attempt by the ASI to remove the temporary ramps set up at four sites in Delhi following the visit of wheel-chair bound scientist Stephen Hawking.

The ASI had set up ramps at the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayaun's Tomb and Jantar Mantar, all of which had been included in the itinerary of Prof Hawking, following a clamour by disability activists and the media.

When the ASI tried to remove them after the completion of Hawking's visit, the Delhi High Court stayed the move.

There is also hope that more barriers will be removed in other buildings since the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is currently on a letter-writing spree to various ministries asking them to do their part to implement the yet unenforced Disability Act of 1995.

The Ministry, which is the nodal agency for implentation of the Act, has already written to Urban Development Minister Jagmohan, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and Surface Transport Ministry, asking them to end disrimination against the disabled on the roads, trains, aircraft, lifts, toilets and other aspects of the built-in environment. Two of the ministers have already sent their replies.

In her letter to Urban Development Minister Jagmohan, Maneka Gandhi has asked him to issue instructions to state governments and civic authorities to make the built-in environment barrier free, with ramps in public buildings, slopes on pavements for wheelchair users, besides braille and auditory signals in lifts.

Gandhi also says in her letter that in most cities, subways have been built without providing barrier-free facilities to disabled. ``It has been pointed out that most of these subways are locked at night and disabled persons are unable to cross the roads because of fences placed along the median,'' the letter says. According to officials in her ministry, Jagmohan has promised to look into the issue.

The second letter addressed to Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee also has received a response, according to Secretary in the Ministry of Social Justice, Asha Das. ``We had asked if trains can be made accessible and signals for disabled placed on platforms. The ministry has asked us for a proposal on what can be done by them,'' Das said.

She pointed out that trains are difficult to enter even for able-bodied persons because of its height from the platform and the arrangement of steps. Asked if the ministry hoped for any immediate changes in the state of affairs, Das said that the least they wanted was to sensitise the public about the rights of the disabled. The rest will follow.