The Hindu : New Delhi News : Ultramodern barrier-free bus shelters in the offing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 27, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Ultramodern barrier-free bus shelters in the offing

Staff Reporter

European firm to make this project a showcase

NEW DELHI: Though the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) failed to incorporate necessary clauses to make the 197 new bus queue shelters in its area barrier-free and disabled-friendly, European advertising firm J.C. Decaux that bagged the contract has in a letter to disability rights group Samarthya offered to provide access ramps, tactile tiles and Braille plates at all the shelters.

In a letter to Sanjeev Sachdeva of Samarthya, the India in-charge of the company, Thomas Guedron, has written that efforts would be made to make this project a showcase for other such ventures. He called upon Samarthya to supply to J.C. Decaux three Braille plates for nine-metre long shelters and two Braille plates each for six-metre long shelters. All plates of one shelter, he said, should have the same content. J.C. Decaux has offered to install the plates on each shelter's pole at 120 cm from the ground.

Samarthya had suggested a number of measures including keeping the height of the shelters at 380 mm to make them compatible with low floor buses operating under the High Capacity Bus System.

Steering group

At the first steering group meeting in April, it was stated that though the contract had been awarded, the changes in design could be incorporated as it had not been finalised. Samarthya insisted that the design be the same as that of the model barrier-free bus shelter which had been constructed by Delhi Transport Corporation at Hauz Khas terminal in South Delhi in March.

It had suggested that the height of the bus shelter be made 380 mm and to approach it there should be a ramp on both sides with handrails at two levels and textural or tactile clues for persons with vision impairment. Further, there should be demarcated space under the shelter for two wheelchairs, Braille plates with name of the bus shelter and routes in Hindi and English, and audio beepers for orienting blind persons.

As for the clock to be placed in these ultra modern stainless steel shelters, Samarthya had asked that they also have audio information. Since these shelters will also have telephones, the coin insertion slit had been sought at a height of 120 cm. Likewise, it had sought priority seats with pictograms for senior citizens or persons with reduced mobility and disabled persons. Space has also been asked for turning of wheel chairs and proper display of timetable and public information display has been demanded along with proper illumination for all the facilities provided. As in the case of the Hauz Khas shelter, it had also been suggested that the bus shelters -- which were costing Rs 23 lakhs each -- have a bright colour contrast for those with low visibility. Under the 15-year contract, J.C. Decaux is to make ultra modern shelters at a cost of nearly Rs. 46 crores.

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