Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

Mobility concerns of the disabled not addressed

By Our Staff Reporter

Thiruvananthapuram Dec. 20 . Hundreds of physically-challenged people in the capital are facing all sorts of difficulties in moving around safely on roads, public places and offices and while using the public transport system, according to a study conducted by the Chief Project Coordinator of National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac), Mahesh Chand.

The roads, and public places such as bus stations, railway stations and platforms and the public transport system, especially the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses, are yet to be made disabled-friendly, says Dr. Chand. Although the KSRTC announced introduction of low-floor buses for the benefit of the disabled, these are yet to be introduced in the city roads.

Only a few shopping complexes in the capital have ramps for the benefit of the physically-challenged. The zebra crossings do not have auditory signals and intersections are unfriendly to the disabled.

Footpaths do not have slopes at frequent intervals or median delineation for pedestrians to cross the road in two stages. Railings on footpaths are limited to a small stretch on the Museum-Kowdiar stretch. According to estimates, approximately five to six per cent of the population in the State are disabled. The number of disabled people in the State is roughly two million. Every year more than 60,000 people are injured in road accidents. Of them, as many as 15,000 become disabled, needing special provisions to move safely on the roads. As per the 2001 census, it is estimated that 0.44 per cent (1.5-lakh) of the population is visually-challenged. The pedestrian facilities need improvement, especially in those areas where visually-challenged pedestrians have a high presence such as near blind schools and the Social Welfare Department. Senior citizens have age-related visibility problems. Rural and sub-urban transport systems needed special consideration to make them disabled-friendly as 85 per cent of the visually-handicapped live in villages. Although the Disability Act of 1995 has incorporated several provisions, including installation of auditory signals at red lights on the public roads, for the disabled, it has not been implemented in the State and in the country.

According to Dr. Chand, the transport system should be made friendly and the transport policy and planning need to be oriented towards meeting the mobility needs of the disabled.

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