JOIN USThe continuing indifference of state road transport corporations (SRTCs) to the plight of the differently-abled is disturbing and unacceptable. It is well-known that our roads, public buildings, bus stations, and public transport are not easily accessible, especially by those with disabilities. Wheelchairs are rarely available in public spaces like bus stations. Toilets are not accessible to wheelchair users. Doors of buses are often too narrow and high for wheelchair access. Lifts lack Braille symbols. In a widely appreciated move in June last year, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued an advisory that included a list of steps to be taken to achieve the targets set by the Narendra Modi government’s Accessible India Campaign. It recommended that SRTCs make all bus stations, terminals, and ports and 25% of all government-owned vehicles accessible to the differently-abled by March 2019.
Almost 14 months after the advisory was issued and five months since the expiry of the deadline, little has changed on the ground for the differently-abled. Barriers to their free and independent movement and travel remain. The figures speak for themselves: of the country’s 56 SRTCs, only 14 met the 25% target. Four of eight RTCs in Maharashtra met the target, as did one of two in Kerala. Not a single RTC in Karnataka achieved the target of making 25% of all government-owned buses and cabs disabled-friendly. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) made only 4.27% of its buses accessible to the differently-abled. However, it has taken a step in the right direction by providing ramps and wheelchairs at major terminals and reserving two seats for those with physical challenges. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a fresh set of steps for the SRTCs. These include the provision of audio-visual systems for the visually and hearing-challenged, and emergency buttons near seats reserved for the differently-abled.
The late British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking once said that removing these barriers will not only make them less “vulnerable” but also “unlock the potential of so many people with so much to contribute to the world.” Hawking’s life and achievements are a testimony to this. Creating a barrier-free environment is necessary not only to enable those with physical challenges to lead an independent and dignified life but also, a fruitful life. We have the technology to make the environment for those with physical and other challenges less hostile. We have the resources, too. What is needed is social and political will, sensitivity and determination to provide them with an enabling environment.