Lack of infrastructural facilities in both private and government firms for the specially-abled.
Bengaluru, Nov. 22, 2018
By S.A. Gayatri
The oldest railway station in the city does not have proper connectivity between its platforms, so wheelchairs cannot transport people from one side to another. There is no lift or escalators, except a flight of stairs that are scary for specially-abled people at the Cantonment Railway Station of Bengaluru.
According to the 2011 census more than 2.21 percent of the population is suffering from some kind of disability. That means around 26.8 million people are disabled.
The 2030 Sustainable Development agenda constitutes of 11 references to Public Works Department across several targets and pushes the need to address this section of the society to get an opportunity of achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
The lack of disabled-friendly infrastructure has made many dependent on others for basic needs, such as getting health care, rehabilitation, support, and assistance.
- Raghu, a specially-abled person said, “Disability should not be a stigma where health, education and other welfare departments don’t focus. For example, schools for specially challenged come under empower department, then why do other schools come under Human resource development. All these kind of instances tell that there is a discrimination in the way the government sees someone who is not like them,”
Sunil Kumar Garg, Special Director General, Central Public Works Department said, “The PWD is working on a plan for building special staircases and special provisions for physically challenged people. Therefore there is nothing that can be disclosed right now but as plans implemented in Chennai and Delhi. Bengaluru will also have new infrastructure friendly for any kind of public.”
M.Sharada, a visually impaired person, said “Not only for people who can’t walk it’s a problem, but for blind people like myself as well. I have to depend on help to climb endless stairs and there are no slopes to go in a wheelchair. Sometimes when I get on the lift in the government offices, people refuse to help or show unneeded sympathy. Why should we be dependent on somebody even for works which are very minimal?
