CHENNAI: Despite Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) committing to the court that stations would be made disabled-friendly, the newly-opened Wimco Nagar and Tiruvottiyur Theradi stations are still not accessible, said members of Disability Rights Alliance (DRA) - Tamil Nadu.
There are some improvements in Wimco Nagar, including making the grating smaller so that canes do not stuck. There are also railings on seatings, which will make getting up easy for the elderly. “The railing is a good initiative. However, it should have been extended till the ground to make it fully effective,” said Sudha Ramamoorthy, member of the DRA. A major change not being implemented is extending the tactile warning for the blind. At present, it is available only near coaches allocated for the disabled.
“While the thin yellow strip is for people with sight, there should tactile warning for the blind. There have been several deaths across the world due to insufficient edge warning,” said Vaishnavi Jayakumar, a disability rights activist. The gap between the platform and train still poses serious risks for wheelchair users, as the chair caster could get caught. In the wheelchair space inside the train, the grab rail needs to be at arm-rest level. “There should be ramps to solve this. While metro is accessible compared to other modes of transport, making changes to accommodate all types of people is important,” said Sathish, a wheelchair user.The toilet should have unisex sign, said Ummul, another wheelchair user. It has been fixed to the wall instead of the floor making it too high. We also have to foot pedal, which is not possible, they added.
Lack of colour contrast is big trouble for people with low vision. “There should be a facility to hear signages and find out where we have reached following the tactile path,” said Sailesh, a person with low vision. Vaishnavi Jayakumar had filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court stating that the existing metro stations are not disabled-friendly and have been built in violation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 replying to which the CMRL committed it would retrofit the stations.