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The Hindu covers Svayam’s audit report findings

The Hindu

Published: November 12, 2012 11:09 IST | Updated: November 12, 2012 11:15 IST

Bhikaji Cama Place a symbol of ‘utter disdain for public property’: Accessibility audit

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

Roads in the complex are overflowing with sewer water making walking next to impossible.

In some parts of the complex, the ramps have been blocked by parked cars and converted into garbage dumps.

can be seen blocking passages, ramps and almost all pathways.
A recently conducted walkability and accessibility audit of the District Centre Complex at Bhikaji Cama Place has revealed that within seven years of a major renovation at the place by Delhi Development Authority, this commercial complex has again returned to a state of neglect and filth.

The survey conducted by Svayam – National Centre for Inclusive Environments – has taken a close look at the infrastructure or the lack of it in the complex which had come up in 1980 on the basis of the Master Plan of Delhi 1960.

Spread over an area of 35 acres, it comprises commercial and government offices, small and mid-sized retailers, hotels and other allied functions. The complex has high to mid-rise building blocks developed around large plazas and courts.

As per the survey, today the complex has become a symbol of “utter disdain for public property and lack of maintenance” and is in shambles. Though it stands in the heart of South Delhi, the complex today exposes the “apathy of the administration”.

Pedestrians forced to walk on roads

“Pedestrian pathways on arterial roads do not provide safe uniform access from Ring Road; from Bhikaji bus shelter near GAIL Building, there is no kerb cut and pedestrian pathway is too high,” the survey notes adding that “due to kerb height the elderly are forced to walk on road endangering their lives.”

The condition of the pedestrian pathways is also not encouraging. They “have level differences and are unusually high with no kerb cuts” which makes it difficult to access them.

Apart from the entire area being not pedestrian friendly, the survey has also revealed that with buses stopping anywhere and Rural Transport Vehicles ferrying office goers also stopping where they feel like, the chaotic picture gets complete.

The area also provides a picture postcard for a parking mess. Here cars can be seen blocking passages, ramps and almost all pathways. “Arbitrary placement of signage and encroachment by the parking mafia renders the pedestrian pathways inaccessible to all,” the report said.

A one-foot pathway

It also notes with concern that commercial expediency has led to a situation where the pedestrian pathways have been reduced to a mere “300 mm” or “one foot” at certain points “which doesn’t even allow one person to pass thorough easily”.

“Often”, due to this, the survey said, the pedestrians “get discouraged and are forced to come on to the road coming in conflict with moving vehicles”.

Overflowing sewer water

The survey also found “roads overflowing with sewer water making walking next to impossible” as near a ramp close to Ansal Chamber I. It also noted that several ramps that were provided during the 2005 re-designing exercise have been rendered useless for various reasons.

These reasons range from there being no signs to indicate the access to the ramp; approach to the ramp being unpaved, dirty and or encroached by parked cars; to bollards being placed to block the entry of cars on the ramp actually blocking the ramp.

At many places, it was also revealed that the “ramps have become garbage dumping places due to blockage” (as near HP showroom on August Kranti Marg side). Worse still, in some parts of the complex the ramps have been blocked and converted into garbage dumps.

Entrance to accessible parking encroached

The barrier-free environment of the complex has also been compromised by the manner in which the accessible parking which was made at the ramped entrance from Ansal Chamber – I side has been encroached, the survey said.

Further, it noted that “there was no aisle space for the wheelchair users to disembark and walk/wheel through the parked vehicles to the ramp. The entry to the ramp is blocked by parked cars. One would otherwise get discouraged by the unhygienic passage leading to ramp.”

Even when it came to accessing the office complexes and buildings, the survey found that the approaches were in a horrendous shape. “The steps are damaged at several places due to lack of maintenance; have no handrail to assist persons with reduced mobility; and even the approach to these steps is found encroached by parked cars,” it said.

Toilet that was never used

Even with respect to the lone free public toilet in the complex which has an accessible unit, the survey found that “the steep ramp and small door makes it inaccessible, though it displays an accessibility sign”. Further, the study had also found this accessible toilet unit locked and on opening it found that it was never put to use for which it was intended.

Keywords: Bhikaji Cama Place, public property, maintenance issues, infrastructure facilities

Source: Printable version | Nov 30, 2012 12:24:52 PM | http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/bhikaji-cama-place-a-symbol-of-utter-disdain-for-public-property-accessibility-audit/article4089948.ece

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Walkability and Accessibility Audit – Bhikaiji Cama Place, Delhi

New Delhi

07th November 2012

Svayam’s Access Audit Team conducted a walkability and Accessibility audit of an important District Centre of New Delhi – Bhikaiji Cama Place and found the complex in a pathetic state of maintenance.

Brief background

Built in 1980, Bhikaiji Cama Place is one of New Delhi’s district centres following the 1960 Master Plan of the city. The 35-acres area includes commercial and government offices, small and mid-sized retailers, hotels and other allied functions.

However, in the year 2005, a major renovation was carried out by the DDA and key interventions were made in order to improve the deteriorating conditions.

This included developing Road markings and directional signage to guide car and pedestrian traffic. Entrances were redesigned to make the plaza more accessible from the surrounding streets and pedestrian areas were elevated to keep them away from road traffic. A new storm water drainage and provision of ducts for future services were also installed.

Additionally, stone topped tables, benches and kiosks for additional food stalls were created to accommodate vendors and customers. Two public toilets were built and a solid waste system was developed and added alongside waste bins and garbage dumps.

Reality Check on November 02, 2012
Few years down the line , utter disdain for public property and lack of maintenance and DDA’s apathy, the complex is in shambles again.

The succeeding photos are sufficient evidence of the pathetic state of affairs at a major district centre in South Delhi where prominent offices are located- thanks to lack of maintenance by the municipal authorities and apathy of the administration.

Click below to access the PDF copy of the report.

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Disability Rights alliance calls to make Chennai Metro Rail accessible

Call to make Metro Rail disabled-friendly

CHENNAI, INDIA: Over the next few weeks, Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has a rather important task on hand. It will have to respond to a set of suggestions presented by the Disability Rights Alliance–Tamil Nadu (DRA), indicating which of their recommendations will be incorporated into the facility.

From January this year, DRA, an open, cross-disability collective has been talking to CMRL regarding the inclusion of features that would ensure easy access to all commuters. After sharing details of international best practices with CMRL in a series of meetings over the past two months, DRA members presented additional inputs on shortcomings in the Delhi Metro to managing director of CMRL K. Rajaraman, on Monday.

Member of the alliance and disability rights activist Rajiv Rajan said features that ensure a barrier-free environment have to be factored in at the planning stage itself. “These are not facilities that can be provided in retrospect. You have to take them into consideration well in advance,” he said.

Observing that most railway stations in Chennai are hardly accessible for people with disabilities, Mr. Rajan said: “Not one station meets all the requirements. Some may have ramps and others, toilets for the disabled. But in my experience, I have found the toilets locked all the time.” No station is an exception — be it MRTS, suburban or even the Central Railway Station.

The CMRL now has a good collection of relevant data, thanks to the documentation efforts of the DRA. The material includes guidelines on making official websites accessible to vision and reading disabilities, on making metro stations barrier-free and a legal perspective to accessibility in public spaces.

Importantly, CMRL now has a chance to learn from the mistakes made in Delhi Metro, which is otherwise considered a good facility. A compilation of access audits carried out at various metro stations in New Delhi point to aspects that the CMRL has to pay attention to. For instance, one such access audit talks of the security clearance area in a metro station in New Delhi where there is not enough space for a wheelchair to pass through.

Persons with disabilities have never had it easy, and railway stations are among the least accessible, according frequent travellers like Erode Nagaraj, the noted mridangam artist. “I often take trains to different towns and cities for concert trips. Each time I go to the station, it is a nightmare. I can’t use my wheelchair in most stations,” he said. He also had a harrowing experience with a ticket checking official who cited some “new rules” on renewing his disability certificates and demanded Rs.1,000.

Mr. Nagaraj added: “We see Metro Rail work happening across the city. I don’t know how the stations will be. In other trains, one does not expect anything except a big gap between the train and the platform which makes it most inconvenient for people like me.”

CMRL, on its part, has promised to look into the recommendations carefully. Its MD Mr. Rajaraman said: “We are going by international standards as far as trains are concerned. We are fully committed to making stations barrier-free and the points given by the DRA are certainly worthy of consideration.”

Certain aspects, he said, were not covered by the international standards and the CMRL would have to spend time studying them to see how feasible they are.

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Students protest against inaccessible Delhi University Campus

Dear Colleagues,

Delhi University is sitting over several access audit reports conducted by independent agencies for which the University has paid a fee while the students with disabilities continue to suffer! One of such reports was shared by Svayam with the Delhi University to improve upon the signage and pedestrian access in the North Campus of Delhi University. However, there seems no action on the report till date and it is over two years. The situation is no better in even the South Campus of Delhi University.

The main roads connecting and passing through the Campus are not within the control of Delhi University and we have learnt that due to lack of coordination among multiple agencies manning the roads, the accessibility project has suffered badly. During Commonwealth Games, road were laid with spaces for motor and non-motorised transport, however it did not provide proper access to pedestrians. There are wrongly placed tactile pavers and abrupt level changes. On top of it, the access points always remain choked with the parked vehicles in front of gates. The pedestrian crossings are a nightmare and given the traffic sense on the roads, the disabled users are always prone to accidents. However, there is no initiative from any quarter to streamline the issue.

Recently a student with disability met with a serious accident. Students have thus decided to raise their voice which is very right and we strongly support this.

Here is the news items from Deccan Herald:

DU students bat for disabled-friendly campus

Apr 4, 2012
NEW DELHI: Students with disabilities will hold a protest on Wednesday demanding a more accessible campus from Delhi University authorities.

A month back they had submitted an application to university authorities regarding safety on roads, said a member of DU cross disabilities association (DUCDA). “A week ago another reminder was sent but to no effect,” added the member.

The members also carried out a signature campaign where around 700 students showed their solidarity.

“Student with disability met with a major accident recently in north campus. We are demanding safety on the roads. Although there are tactile paths in north campus for students who are blind, most of them are badly planned,” said Kapil Kumar, a blind postgraduate sociology student from Delhi School of Economics.

“Half the time while walking on these paths we bump into poles and trees. Incidents of blind students falling into pits have also come to light,” he added.

The students complain that they are being ignored.

“Though there is an equal opportunity cell (EOC) in the university to guide students with disabilities, it is always over burdened. Everywhere we go, we are directed to EOC which has limited resources and capacity. The proctor is handling EOC, but it should have an independent incharge to address our problems more effectively. Our issues have always been sidelined,” he said.

The students are also demanding to make accessible hostels and toilets.

“Very few colleges, not even the prominent ones, have toilets specially constructed for students with disabilities. Khalsa College may have one as one of the teaching faculty is disabled,” said Shakti Kumar Agarwal adding in hostels like Gwyer Hall, it is impossible to move in a wheelchair.

“Its entrance has steps. There is a boys’ hostel for disabled students that too is under Delhi government. There are no hostels for disabled women students,” said Agarwal.

The students are demanding a separate elected body on the lines of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) to better represent them.

“There is a stray dog problem in every hostel. Once a blind girl fell into a pit where a dog was lying and got bitten. The students with disabilities are terrorised to walk on the footpaths, so they walk on the sides of the roads. That’s equally dangerous,” added Agarwal.

While DU has around 1,500 students with disabilities, many of them blind.

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Svayam conducts Access Workshop for Disabled community leaders at Aarth Astha

New Delhi : 16 March 2012

Svayam Team conducted a Training Workshop on “Accessibility in Community Infrastructure” at the invitation of Astha India (NGO) for the disabled community leaders of Lal Kuan and Govind Puri slums.   The community leaders with disabilities have come together under the umbrella of “Viklang Ekta Manch”. Several parents, family members and members of Astha staff were also present in the training session.

The whole exercise was facilitated by Aarth Astha and coordinated by Mr. Binod – himself a person with disability and the community lead for Astha. The leaders were also briefed on conducting access audits and approaching the right authorities for making things happen.

The inputs from Pradeep, Punam and several others regarding the ground conditions in their residential colonies were eye openers for many of us! The training was followed by a Question and Answer session which brought out several issues from attitude of drivers of Delhi Transport Corporation towards the disabled people to inaccessibility from the house to the nearest bus stop / metro station and of admissions in the university under the disability quota to lack of accessible and affordable public transportation to attend college.

It came out that several disabled members despite being very bright and interested to pursue education could not attend colleges /work due to lack of seamless access from their houses/dwellings to the nearest bus stop. Also due to lack of direct accessible transport options, many could not purse regular education. Various government schools in the vicinity were not accessible to children with disabilities and children, especially girls did not go to the school because of lack of accessible and hygenic toilets in the  school.

“Astha’s mandate is to empower persons with disabilities in communities to take up their issues themselves. We are thankful to Svayam Team for agreeing to conduct this workshop for our disabled community leaders at such a short notice. Inaccessibility in the residential dwellings especially in the slums where Astha work has been a big barrier for the children to come out and avail the rehabilitation facilities and options of education and vocation. Disabled community leaders like Pradeep and Poonam are taking this lead and I am sure this workshop will equip them with necessary knowledge to take up their fight against inaccessibility in their colonies to its logical conclusion”, said Ms. Sudha Vohra, Executive Director- Astha.

It is proposed to take this forward by active advocacy for the accessibility rights by the members of the Self Help Group – Viklang Ekta Manch with support from Svayam and Aarth Astha.

Some visuals from the workshop:

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