COIMBATORE: Following a complaint, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) issued show-cause notices to 101 restaurants and cafes for not ensuring accessibility facilities for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) within the corporation limits.
Sources said the Swarga Foundation, which improves the lives of patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis and neurological diseases, conducted a comprehensive accessibility audit of 100 restaurants and cafes across Coimbatore, which revealed that the establishments were not accessible to PwDs due to a lack of facilities such as a ramp at the entrance, accessible toilets, wide doorways and pathways, etc. To ensure these features in restaurants and cafes, a complaint was filed by the foundation with the district administration and the CCMC in June.
Following this, the CCMC commissioner recently issued a show-cause notice to 101 restaurants and cafes seeking an explanation for not ensuring accessibility facilities. Further, he directed the establishments to ensure facilities such as a ramp at the entrance with a slope ratio of at least 1:12, doorways with a minimum width of 900 mm, wheelchair-accessible toilets with grab bars and appropriately raised toilet seats, signage and guiding structures for persons with visual impairment, barrier-free pathways or ramps if there are raised platforms/stairs.
Further, establishments were asked to submit a report with supporting photographs within 30 days of receiving this letter to the concerned Ward Assistant Engineer (AE), sources added.
When inquired, Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran told TNIE that a reply to the notice had not been received from any establishment yet. He added that they would conduct a meeting next week with the owners of the establishments, headed by the district collector, to ensure accessibility features for PwDs.