NEW DELHI: India’s most visited monuments are still not fully accessible for the people with disabilities. So do hundreds of other monuments, which are top revenue earners, lack even basic facilities for the visitors.
However, the central government has finally woken up to initiate the process to not only make the monuments disabled friendly, but also provide best of facilities like WiFi, ATMs, drinking water, toilets and 3D walk tours.
Also on cards are providing souvenirs, shoe wraps, caps, free parking facilities, refreshments and first aid.
As the culture ministry has decided to launch accessible India campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) to increase the number of accessible monuments in the country, it will be undertaking accessibility audit of 100 monuments spread across the country.
The audit would gauge the kind of facilities to be provided to make them disabled friendly.
In Delhi, the monuments including Humayun’s Tomb, Safdarjung Tomb, Red Fort, Purana Qila and Qutub Complex have been chosen for the audit. The other monuments are Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, Sarnath, Golconda Fort, Shore temple Mahabalipuram, Rann ki Vav and church of St Augustine, Goa.
Sources from the Archaeological Survey of India say process of providing ramps and other equipment will begin after the audit is done. Currently, ramps have been provided in many monuments. Like in case of Taj Mahal, th complex is accessible through wheelchair, but not the main tomb as there is a flight of stairs.
As pilot project, ASI has identified around 180 monuments and museums under its control to provide better facilities for the visitors.