No nod yet for disability access audit at Kilambakkam terminus

CHENNAI: The access audit for the Kilambakkam bus terminus is not complete as the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has yet to give permission for a joint inspection with the Directorate for Welfare of Differently-abled (DWD).

The audit is necessary to reveal and enable CMDA to rectify any flaws in accessible features specified under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

According to the Directorate for Welfare of Differently-abled, they are awaiting a response from CMDA member secretary Anshul Mishra to requests for conducting an access audit to ensure the bus terminus is disabled-friendly.

“We have requested for a joint inspection to be done at Kilambakkam bus terminus by the access audit team with CMDA officials, assistant director of DWD, along with representatives from organisations for persons with disabilities,” according to an official in the Directorate. “We are hoping that a date will be announced for carrying out the access audit within a week,” the official added.

Meanwhile, speaking to TNIE, Anshul Mishra said that the audit will be done before the bus terminus is opened. “We are for inclusivity and accessibility,” he said. He added that all the buildings and toilets are provided with a 1:12 ratio ramp with two levels of handrail. In the terminal building from the main entrance to the bus bay, covering all common places, tactile and textured paving surfaces to cater to visually impaired pedestrians have been provided.

Mishra said that in all lifts braille markings are provided at 80cm from ground level for easy access. The wheelchair parking locations are marked and differently-abled person parking slots have been provided near the terminal building. He added that digital displays along with announcements have been planned.
Recently, the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently-abled and Caregivers had sent a petition to the chief minister to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities at the terminus as there was no response from CMDA.

Sources told TNIE that the association has requested to ensure the bus terminus has barrier-free structures for the movement of people with disabilities. Vaishnavi Jayakumar, a member, of the Disability Rights Alliance, told TNIE that the transport terminal should have clear and intuitive paths and consistent layouts.

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