Accessible Transport

September 30, 2017August 21, 2018

Svayam promotes accessible para-transit in India with donation of 10 wheelchair accessible vehicles

a picture of accessible vans — *Accessible Vans donated by Svayam*

As part of its ongoing campaign to promote accessible transportation for people with reduced mobility, Svayam, donated a total of 10 wheelchair accessible vehicles to needy stakeholders.

Ms. Sminu Jindal, Founder-Chairperson, Svayam, and MD, Jindal SAW Limited, handed over the keys to the recipients in a cheerful atmosphere, and hoped that this would help children as well as adults with reduced mobility to travel with ease and dignity.

Ms. Jindal said, “We are grateful to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji for giving a big boost to accessibility movement in India by launching Accessible India Campaign. We at Svayam enthusiastically promote Govt of India’s mission to make transportation accessible for all. It is because we strongly feel that an accessible transport system is the single most crucial link which can make the entire society inclusive and help provide a chance for equal opportunity to all; regardless of their physical abilities.”

“Accessible transport helps people to feel empowered as they can make their own life choices with freedom of movement. Accessible school transportation is also equally important to enable children with disabilities to attend schools for their all-round development”, she added.

These modified vehicles were retrofitted to ensure easy and dignified commutes for people with reduced mobility. As part of the planning, the vans had their ceilings raised for higher headroom, a fold-able ramp for easy entry and exit via wheelchairs, wheelchair restraint mechanism, among many other necessary modifications. Each van can accommodate three persons apart from the driver (including one wheelchair user while being seating on the manual wheelchair).

Ms. Albina Sarkar, Director Mobility India receiving the keys from the Ms. Sminu Jindal, Founder Svayam

In an earlier held similar event on 21 April 2017, a total of three vans were given to Mobility India – a Bangaluru based NGO, for use in Bengaluru and North East India, while one van was given to EzyMov for use in Mumbai.

A woman driver of Sakha Taxi (Azad Foundation) receiving the key

Two such vans were given to the Azad Foundation, and one van to Mr. Samuel Mani, at a special ceremony held at the Jindal Centre, New Delhi, on 23^rd August 2017.

“We are adding wings to women empowerment and entrepreneurship, as two vans are being given to women-run organisation, Azad Foundation, which runs ‘Sakha Cabs for Women by Women Campaign’, and ‘Women-on Wheels’ program. They offer 24X7 taxi services to women passengers, thus helping the cause of women safety which is a big issue.” said Ms. Jindal.

Dr. Shanti Aulack, Founder President, Muskaan receiving the keys from Ms. Sminu Jindal — Dr. Shanti Aulack, Founder President, Muskaan receiving the keys

Three vans were given away to New Delhi based non-profit organizations working with persons with disabilities on 29 September 2017. The recipients were Muskaan PAWCMH (Muskaan Parents Association for the Welfare of Children with Mental Handicap), ASTHA and Family of Disabled.

*Ms. Radhika M. Alkazi, Managing Trustee, ASTHA, receiving the key*

*Representative from Family of Disabled (FOD) receiving the key*

Svayam believes that accessibility is not limited to only person with disabilities, it is the need of everyone as it makes our lives much easier; hence Svayam has been using the hashtag #Accessibility4All in its all social media campaigns.

Currently no manufacturers make wheelchair accessible vehicles and thus a vehicle is first bought and then taken to authorised fabirators/ workshops.

People with disabilities or organisations working with them, often have to bear additional costs to modify vehicles. Hence, by distributing such vehicles, Svayam is also sending the right message about the need of manufacturers coming out with accessible vehicles to meet the growing needs of the seniors & those with reduced mobility.

June 18, 2015

Govt. of India invites ideas/ proposals to conduct Access Audits 100 Most frequented Govt. Buildings

Dear Colleagues,

Under Accessible India Campaign, the Government of India wants you to express your choice of a Govt. building that is most frequented by public. The exercise is to identify 100 such Govt. buildings in your cities and then to take up the access improvement work in fast track to make them completely accessible within a time bound manner.

To give you a background, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment had launched the “Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan)” as a nation-wide flagship campaign for achieving universal accessibility that will enable persons with disabilities to gain access for equal opportunity and live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life in an inclusive society. The campaign targets at enhancing the accessibility of built environment, transport system and Information & communication eco-System.

The campaign would initially be implemented on pilot basis in seven States, which include Delhi, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. A strategy paper of the nation-wide Accessible India Campaign with details of the campaign along with objectives, targets and deadlines has been prepared.

To access the strategy paper click here: Strategy Paper- Accessible India Campaign

One of the targets under the objective of enhancing the proportion of accessible government buildings is to conduct accessibility audit of 100 most important government buildings and converting them into fully accessible buildings by July, 2016 in the following cities:

(a) Delhi

(b) Ahmedabad

(d) Gurgaon

(e) Guwahati

(f) Jaipur

(g) Mumbai

DEPwD invites suggestions/ideas/proposals from individuals/NGOs/ Associations / Civic bodies to identify 100 pubic (government) buildings frequently used by persons with disabilities in the above cities to be converted into fully accessible buildings, which will make the greatest impact on achieving a barrier-free environment that allows free & safe movement, function and access for all, without obstacles, with dignity and with as much independence as possible.

Details of such identified prominent government buildings in the above cities that you want converted into fully accessible buildings may be sent to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, by e-mail at accessibleindiacampaign@gmail.com as early as possibel or by end of June 2015.

You may also post the photos etc of inaccessible buildings on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/svayam.india

June 15, 2015

Register for 14th International Conference on Mobility & Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons (TRANSED 2015) at Lisbon

Dear Colleagues,

The 14th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, from 28 to 31 July 2015.

The 14th TRANSED conference will be hosted by Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) at Universidade de Lisboa.

TRANSED 2015 will gather scholars, decision-makers, industry, and citizens with an interest in accessibility issues and how to improve it. TRANSED 2015 International Conference received the formal endorsement of representatives of all stakeholders, namely: Government, Public Administration, Foundation for Science and Technology, Universities, and Transport and Infrastructure Operators, who will support the conference in several aspects.

The conference is organized under the theme “Aim and manage to implement inclusive access for all”. Please visit the web site for the selection of topics.

TRANSED 2015 will be an excellent opportunity to gather and share knowledge on any sort of mobility restrictions/accessibility

Website: http://www.transed2015.com/

Registration:

https://pco.abreu.pt/CLIENTES/abreu/formularios/form_4731902542.php

Follow the TRANSED2015 on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TRANSED-2015/487026641398455

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TRANSED2015

Download the mobile App:

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xtourmaker.transed

IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/pt/app/transed2015/id993138260?mt=8

CONFERENCE VENUE

TRANSED 2015 will be held at Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
http://www.gulbenkian.pt

ABOUT LISBON

Lisbon is a melting pot of cultures, flavours and spices. Lisbon is built on hills looking over the River Tagus. Modern and cosmopolitan, it is a great centre of culture and tourism, and a pleasure to discover on foot. Add to that its cultural diversity, laid-back feel and architectural time warp, and you have one of the most enjoyable cities in Europe.

Clean skies and the softness of its light are an integral part of the charm of this city. Seen from the river – one of the city’s many great viewpoints – Lisbon is an impressionist picture of low-rise ochre and pastel, punctuated by church towers and domes.

Several neighbourhoods offer interesting shopping areas of local flavour. Large, modern shopping malls with wide opening hours and easy access by public transport are also very popular.

One of the traditional centres of Lisbon’s nightlife is Bairro Alto, with its fado houses, restaurants and dozens of bars and clubs. After the riverside area was remodelled for Expo98, night life in Lisbon gained a new dimension both on east and west fronts.

People who want to get away from the city centre, however, can go with modern railways to Sintra or to Estoril and Cascais, about 30km away, with beautiful landscapes, urban settings and nice restaurants and bars.

Lisbon is a city that receives yearly a large number of visitors, both in business and leisure. Its offer of hotels is very strong, in all price categories, including some charming traditional units as well as large ones from most international chains.

Public Transport in Lisbon has recently undergone great improvements and includes underground, suburban trains and ferries, low floor buses and light rail, while maintaining in operation a small set of old tramway lines, among which the famous line 28, one of the icons of the city.

Day and Multi-day passes are available to enjoy the full public transport network without hassle.

For more information about Lisbon and tips on what to see, please visit the Tourism Bureau website: http://www.visitlisboa.com/

TOPIC AREAS

Conference theme:

“Aim and manage to implement inclusive access for all”

STREAMS:

The conference is organized in two streams of intervention, being:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Practice and Experience:

All conference topics are very open and can be approached from any of the two referred streams. For each topic a number of sub-topics are open from the outset but others can be created. In addition, special sessions can also be envisaged and participants interested in organizing it should contact the Conference Chair for that purpose.

Topic A: Policy approaches for mobility needs and solutions for the ageing and disabled population
The demographic evolution of Society enables to foresee next decades with a substantial increase of ageing population with different degrees of disabilities. In addition, changes in patterns of living and more monoparental families are formed which represent users of temporary restrictions. Cities and regions must reflect in these changes and adjust their policies accordingly so that user needs are satisfied
Subtopics:
      A1 – Meeting the needs of people with disabilities in light of changing demographics;
      A2- The economic and social implications of living and coping with disabilities;
      A3– Cases in policy actions: turning legislation into action.

Topic B: Restricted accessibility as an integrated part of mobility management.
Restricted accessibility or reduced mobility (different parts of the world use different designations) should not be managed as an isolated segment. This approach has led to exclusion of these groups of users despite providing them with increase quality of service. This approach must be changed towards a full integration of restricted accessibility in mobility management enabling citizens with temporary or permanent mobility to benefit from a complete inclusion in society. Mobility and accessibility are instruments for that inclusion.
Subtopics:
B1 – Defining and measuring accessibility;
B2 – Creating accessible urban environments;
B3 – Restricted accessibility in urban transport: success stories;
B4 – Rural accessibility issues;
B5 – Transport contribution for inclusive tourism;
B6 – Ensuring joined approach to planning and delivery for door to door mobility;
B7 – Designing and delivering accessibility for major events (e.g. Olympics etc.).

Topic C – Finding solutions through innovation

Innovation is a wide encompassing concept with an extensive meaning that can go from organization of processes to invention of new technology. Today a major challenge in mobility management is to bridge from mass transit to the capillary needs of the different segments of users. Innovation is required to create new and flexible services that can complement the regular public transport and provide an effective seamless mobility chains for all users, with and without disabilities.

Subtopics
        C1 – New technologies and tools;
       C2 – Engaging with users for flexible mobility solutions;
        C3 – Case studies of innovative approaches to restricted accessibility;
        C4 – New impairment realities (e.g. young families, monoparental families, ageing impairment, etc)

June 8, 2015

Know your Rights and Duties during Air Travel from and within India

Dear Colleagues,

If you are a person with reduced mobility or a person living with disabilities, you are entitled to certain rights that you should be aware of. Svayam occasionally come across incidents where people with reduced mobility, suffer at the hands of airliners and the aerodrome operators merely because of their ignorance about their rights and duties.

This post is an attempt to orient them and empower them with the information that they may need, to undertake a hassle free air-travel from and within India. The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights & Full Participation) Act 1995 & The Constitution of India provides equal rights to those living with disabilities or with reduced mobility while travelling – be it travel by road, rail or air and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of disabilities.

The Civil Aviation Requirements on Carriage of Persons with Disabilities & persons with reduced mobility by Air (DGCA’ s CAR) on which Svayam along with several other stakeholders had worked so hard, is an important document for all flyers with disabilities. Therefore, you should always carry a copy, may be few extra sets to waive at those who try to discriminate with you out of ignorance or just negative attitude. The CAR guidelines apply to all Indian operators – for both domestic & international carriage, to all foreign carriers operating to and from India and all airport operators within India. You can download a copy of the CAR from the link below:

DGCA’s CAR on Carriage by Air of Persons with Disabilities and/or Persons with Reduced Mobility dated 28 February 2014

Your Rights while traveling by Air

(a) No airline can refuse to carry you and your assistive aids/devices, escorts, guide dogs in cabin etc if you inform them at the time of booking. Assistive aids/devices (up to 15 kg) are allowed free as additional baggage.

(b) Airlines & their travel agents can not discriminate against you in providing their services such as internet ticket, special/discounted fare, reservation on telephone or time limit for holding the booking etc.

(c) You can seek assistance to meet your particular needs to ensure seamless travel from terminal departure gate up to aircraft and from aircraft to arrival terminal gate without any additional expense.

(d) If your wheelchair conforms to DPTAC UK specifications (Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee), you can user your wheelchair in the entire journey and can’t be forced to use their wheelchair.

(e) Airline can not insist on medical certificate or any special forms/ indemnity bonds etc even if you wish to travel without escort and only need assistance for embarking/disembarking & reasonable accommodation in flight.

(f) You have equal choice of seat allocation subject to safety requirements.

(g) You can ask for onboard narrow aisle chairs for internal transfer or to use lavatory at no extra cost.

Your Duties while traveling by Air

(a) Inform/ Notify the Airlines at the time of booking or at least 48 hours before the scheduled departure about your specific needs.

(b) Always carry your disability certificate/ ID Card.

(d) Ask for your rights, until you ask, the airline staff may not know about your requirements.

(e) Be courteous as the staff may be serving many other passengers at the same time.

(f) Speak up, if any discrimination happens with you and report it to concerned authorities viz. Grievance Redressal authority within Airlines, DGCA, Chief Commissioner-Disability and if required share the experiences also to the media/ advocacy organization like Svayam.

Post your experiences to Svayam

We encourage you to kindly post a copy of your grievances also with Svayam as it helps us take it forward with the concerned authorities. More the complaints brought to the notice of authorities, more the impact we can make on them. This will not only help them understand that it affects many more people but also find appropriate solutions. You may write to us at Editor@svayam.com / svayam.india@gmail.com and post the information also on our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/svayam.india

After you have posted to us, it may be seem that we are taking little longer, but trust us, we are working on the issue flagged by you. We will update the progress here on the blog for your information.

Inclusive and Barrier free infrastructure & services is important for equal participation of all and when you write to us, our endeavor is to make sure authorities sit up and take notice.

—–

May 14, 2014

Delhi’s Railway Stations continue to defy the Disability Act – remains inaccessible to disabled

Dear Friends,

The Indian Railways has been continuously disregarding the access rights of persons with disabilities and the elderly and has not set its house in order even after nearly two decades of the passage of the Disabilities Act.

Svayam has been advocating that the platforms need to be connected by both- the dynamic measures such as lifts and elevators but also non-dynamic features such as ramps. For Eg. the platforms are interconnected by big ramps at Agra railway stations. The stations in the capital — even the New Delhi Railway Station does not have that interconnectivity. One has to travel through the passage used by luggage vans which goes across the railway tracks.

Svayam also raised the issue of non-implementation of basic design. For instance, the tactile blocks that guide the visually impaired run into walls, railings etc. Also, the descent to the platform from the escalator is marked by a step without a warning tactile block. And there is no accessibility for the hearing and visually impaired persons.

During the Railway Budget of 2013, Svayam has shared the issues in detail with the Railway ministry. However, the ministry has been sitting quite in complete defiance of the law of the land. See a related news in TOI dated 27 Feb 2013 titled Rail Budget 2013: Disabled say there are many hurdles in the way.

Here is the media coverage in TOI today.

Delhi’s railway stations test elderly, disabled

Suhas Munshi,TNN | May 14, 2014, 01.32 AM IST

NEW DELHI: For the city’s elderly and the infirm, train journeys begin with pain and humiliation-at the railway station. In the absence of ramps or lifts, those incapable of walking have to be carried up foot overbridges on way to the platform in the arms of their kin or wheeled through routes meant for transportation of goods. Over the years, say the elderly, this debasing experience hasn’t changed.

At the New Delhi railway station, for instance, 60-year-old Tara Devi, who suffers from joint pains, waited on her walker for half-hour in the hot son as her son went hunting for a wheelchair. Sunheri Devi, 73, had a similar agonizing experience, being carried in his arms by her son to the platform.

“My mother lost a leg recently. Besides, she is too old to walk up the stairs. So, I carried her to the platform,” said son Om Prakash. Asked if he knew about wheelchairs or golf carts provided by the station for free, Prakash shook his head. The response was similar in most spot interviews TOI conducted of persons with some sort of disability.

Article in Newspaper image format as it appeared in the Times City

Clearly, while railway authorities say they have made arrangements for wheelchairs and golf carts at some stations, most passengers haven’t heard about it yet. Those who have, find it impractical and use it only as a last resort.

Of the major railway stations in Delhi, only Anand Vihar has been designed with a functional ramp to take the wheelchair-bound across the platforms. At Hazrat Nizamuddin, Old Delhi or New Delhi stations, the disabled have to be ferried to the end of a platform where goods are ferried on hand carts, and stand in queue with cart-loaders waiting for passing trains to give way in order to change platforms.

“The platforms are totally unapproachable by senior citizens and it’s about time someone decided to do something about it. It’s really a shame for the national capital to have an unapproachable platform for boarding important trains,” said senior citizen Sudipta Maitra, IBM’s former manager of business operations, who also has a disability.

Dr Satendra Singh, an assistant professor of physiology at GTB hospital, himself afflicted with polio, says the only way to help is to install lifts and reserve escalators for the disabled.

“Railways goes on installing escalators at stations but for someone like me who uses calipers, escalators don’t work because people like me tend to lose balance, as I have in the past. Lifts, reserved for the disabled, as done in the Delhi Metro, would make life so much simpler for us. That’s what I hope gets done some time in the forseeable future,” said Singh.

Old Delhi station happens to have a pair of lifts leading to waiting halls. But both have been in a state of disrepair for the past three years.

“We have been trying to ensure that the journey becomes safe and comfortable for everyone. We have one golf cart and 20 wheelchairs at Old Delhi railway station, one golf cart and five wheelchairs at Nizamuddin station, four golf carts and 20 wheelchairs at New Delhi and four wheelchairs at Anand Vihar. Besides, we have other facilities such as separate queues for elderly,” said a Northern railway spokesperson.

Clearly, the railways has to start making these facilities more accessible and user-friendly.

Source: Times of India

July 25, 2013

Svayam hosts side event “Funding Accessible Transport” at ITF 2013

Svayam- National Centre for Inclusive Environments, hosted a side event titled “Funding Accessible Transport” at the Annual Summit of International Transport Forum (ITF) held on 22 May 2013 at Leipzig, Germany.

Background Note

Most of the transport infrastructure to date have been manufactured/ designed without accessible features. The transportation systems in most of the developed countries too, are far from ideal let alone developing nations. Transport plays a crucial role in a nation’s development by providing access to facilities and services.

Enhanced mobility for the vulnerable groups is one of the most important preconditions for achieving sustained growth. The needs of the elderly and disabled should be anticipated in the planning and designing of the transport infrastructure especially in the light of the growing silver population the world over.

To ensure all the transportation systems align with the varied needs of all, there is an urgent need of funding for developing new accessible transport systems as well as retrofitting the existing with the aim of developing accessible, affordable, economically viable, people-oriented and environment-friendly transport systems.

Speakers at the Event

Ms. Abha Negi, Director, Svayam – National Centre for Inclusive Environments, New Delhi, India
Mr. Ramakant Goswami, Hon’ble Minister – Transport, Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, India (couldn’t attend)
Ms. Ann Frye, Director, Ann Frye Ltd, UK
Dr. (Ms.) Lalita Sen, Professor, Texas Southern University, USA
Dr. Manoj Singh, Advisor (Transport), Planning Commission of Govt. of India
Ms. Mary Crass, Policy Head, International Transport Forum (Moderator)

Click here for Photos of the event on Facebook