The Hindu : New Delhi News : Dilli Haat has unique facility for the disabled

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 23, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Dilli Haat has unique facility for the disabled

By Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

NEW DELHI, MARCH 22 .Already one of the most popular shopping destinations in the Capital, Dilli Haat is now all set to become a barrier-free tourist spot as it has designed a "unisex accessible toilet'' for the physically challenged which is truly unique and which may encourage more people with varying disabilities to visit the place.

The new toilet block has been designed keeping in mind the needs of the differently-abled people as also the elderly. To be thrown open for use from March 27, it has been developed by Delhi Tourism after several rounds of consultations with the user groups, primarily Samarthya Centre for Promotion of Barrier Free Environment for Disabled People.

Though Dilli Haat had taken other steps to make the place barrier free by making ramps at various spots, providing wheelchairs and signages, the need for a disabled-friendly toilet was felt all through, said Sanjeev Sachdev of Samarthya. Subsequently talks were held with Delhi Tourism and its officials led by Chief Architect Pradeep Sachdeva and Chief Engineer Jose Kurien took steps to meet the aspirations of those with disabilities.

What has emerged from months of planning and execution as per the needs of the user groups is a toilet which is spacious, can be used by people with different kinds of disabilities, provides entry and movement space for wheelchairs and has support equipment and gadgetry to meet all the needs of the disabled, elderly and also pregnant women.

Mr Sachdev said while the urinal is equipped with grabbers, chest support and arm support, it facilitates use by those using crutches, callipers or walking frames, the actual toilet which measures 1.55 metres by 1.75 metres is a unisex accessible one in which the attendant can also help the user. It allows entry and movement space for wheelchairs and has a raised seat with special grab bars on the right wall. Also, it is equipped with strategically placed flush valve, water faucet, back support, an L-shape and a swing up grab bar, and an emergency alarm so that the user is comfortable and safe all through.

Noting that the first such toilet in the Capital had been made at the office of an NGO, Voluntary Service Overseas, in Vasant Vihar, Mr Sachdev said this was the first public toilet to have all these disabled-friendly features.

With some modifications still to be made to the toilet, he hoped that would become a "model'' worth emulating and would encourage more and more disabled people to visit Dilli Haat as absence of proper toilet facilities often dissuade such people from moving out. "A British lady having multiple sclerosis had visited this toilet and found it to be almost at par with the best in the world,'' he claimed.

Meanwhile, the Chief Manager of Dilli Haat, Sreedhar, hoped that the place -- which is getting about 16 lakhs visitors every year for the past three -- would have more disabled visitors as now it is fully prepared to meet all their needs. Also, he said, Delhi Tourism would construct more such toilets across the Capital after due consultations with the user groups as this would ensure that they serve their purpose well.

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