NEW DELHI: The State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, TD Dhariyal, has written to the all districts in Delhi to conduct an audit of places of worship and to submit a compliance report on their disabled friendly initiatives.
While the entire nation is on the path to make public infrastructure accessible to persons with disabilities, there is a dire need for a parallel movement to make places of worship disabled-friendly in the national capital, said T D Dhariyal.
“Every person has the right to worship. We, as an authority, do not restrict ourselves to looking after the education and job aspects of the differently-abled. We are equally concerned about giving them the required emotional support. In this regard, we have written to all district magistrates in Delhi to conduct a physical audit of places of worship and submit a report by the response by July first week ,” Dhariyal told The Sunday Standard.
Before the commencement of the audit, The Sunday Standard visited prominent places of worship in the National Capital Region and it revealed that largely such places remained unapproachable for differently-abled.
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, one of the most prominent Sikh gurdwaras, or Sikh house of worship, in Delhi, has the best facilities in comparison with a temple, mosque and a church, The Sunday Standard has learned.
The gurdwara has three entry gates and four electric vehicles lined up to help the old and differently-abled reach the steps near the shrine and the stairs have a motor fitted sit-in lift on the side. We also have 16 wheelchairs, said Harpal Singh Manjer, manager of the gurdwara at Connaught Place.
“People from all faiths come here to seek blessings. We feel honoured to provide facilities to assist differently-abled person wanting to enter the gurdwara,” said Manjer.
Although, available, the wheelchairs are fewer in number when compared to the footfall at the gurdwara. Besides, the toilet facilities have not been marked separately for the disabled.
Hanuman Mandir and Ganesh Mandir complex
Two ramps, which lead from the Bangla Sahib road in CP to the main entrance of the temple, remained closed due to parking of vehicles.
Speaking to The Sunday Standard, differently-abled Diwan said, “I enter the temple through the backside. We don’t have any other option; we use the same badly maintained path. The ramps from the subway which leads into the complex are difficult to operate as it is very steep and hence very difficult to scale.”
Besides, the path leading to the main complex of the temple, have stairs without handrails.
Sacred Heart Cathedral
The cathedral at Gol Dak Khana roundabout has two entrances but they have a speed breaker at the gates. “If we witness someone needing help, we open the gates for the vehicle to come in. After that, they can use the ramp to gain entry to the prayer hall,” said an official at the church who did not wish to be named.
Bhoori Bhatyari Masjid
The Masjid on Bahadurshah Zafar Marg in ITO does not have a ramp or wheelchairs for assisting the differently-abled access the main prayer hall.
“We help them out. Inside the mosque, we have designated space for differently-abled. We have attendants to assist the person. We also lift people if needed,” said Aminuddin, caretaker of the mosque for over three decades.