Shaniwarwada, Ajanta & Ellora to soon host signages in Braille
Neha Madaan,TNN | May 25, 2014, 06.03 AM IST
PUNE: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will put up information and signages in Braille at historical monuments in the state. The initiative, launched in some monuments in Delhi, will be introduced in phases. It will cover heritage sites like Shaniwarwada, Aga Khan Palace, Elephanta Caves, Kanheri caves, Solapur Fort, Ajanta and Ellora and several others.
An ASI official told TOI on Monday that ticketed monuments in the Mumbai-circle will be taken up for installing Braille signages. In the next phase, they will be put up in the remaining monuments, he said.
“The modalities of this initiative including the budget will be worked out soon. We will take inputs from Delhi and Bhopal, where the initiative has already been started,” the official said.
A senior official from the ASI Delhi headquarters, said, “We realized that ASI has to cater to the visually-challenged, along with introducing other measures for people with disabilities. These include ramps, wheelchairs, and washrooms. Putting up information in Braille is part of the exercise.”
New Delhi-based Svayam, an initiative of the SJ Charitable Trust, has been working with ASI as consultants for over eight years, in making heritage sites accessible to all, including senior citizens and the disabled.
Abha Negi, director of Svayam, said, “We had made several suggestions to ASI in our audit reports on monuments, including putting up tactile maps and information in Braille in monuments. They could put up the tactile map in only one monument, but we do hope they put it in other places in the state as well.”
Negi added that Braille signages are a snapshot of what the monuments have to offer, how the visitor can go around, apart from providing information on the history of the place. Tactile maps help the user in getting knowledge of their environment. “It is a guiding map which shows the user how the monument is and the topography of the place,” she said.
Meanwhile, the newly-formed ASI Nagpur circle will focus on introducing basic amenities before installing the Braille signs. “Facilities like drinking water, toilets and ordinary signs are being planned in monuments such as Markanda in Gadchiroli district and in Lonar and Ramtek. As many as 25 such monuments will be taken up in 2014-15, with an approximate budget of Rs 20 lakh per monument,” an official said.
Box: Disabled-friendly signs
The signs will be easily visible with more focus on the background and panel contrasts,
Contrasting the text and symbols with the panel will make the sign easily readable
Tactile text and symbols along with Braille will help a blind person read the sign
Signs which show the correct use of colour contrast, words, pictogram and arrow directions will cater to diverse users
(Source: Svayam)