VILLUPURAM: In a situation of great irony, the road to Villupuram's welfare office for the differently abled is inaccessible for its beneficiaries. The road that leads to the welfare office, inaugurated recently, is about two kilometres from the Collectorate and is full of potholes. As no tar road was laid, travelling on the existing mud road proves to be a bumpy journey and makes even a two-wheeler commute seem like a nightmare.
Movements for the People with Disabilities (PwD) community, including the New Wave Disability Federation and the December 3 Movement, continue to press for repairs on the road, But, the administration had not responded to their queries, they alleged. The members of the community further stated that they have to use the main road of the complex to get around to access the office.
The situation worsens as few members cannot wear shoes and some others crawl. A 45-year-old member of the New Wave Disability Federation told TNIE, All shorter routes to the office are without tarred roads. "We have petitioned twice to the district administration to rectify this and no action has been taken so far," they added.
They further said that a sign board should be put up so that vision and hearing impaired persons can navigate to the office easier. However, even a general name board for the District Disability Welfare Office is not placed on the way from the Collector's campus to the office.
Collector D Mohan told TNIE, "Funds were allotted for construction of a new road within the master complex and so the roads to the welfare office will be laid ensuring complete accessibility to the differently abled persons, at the earliest."