SC lists out steps which authorities should take.
The Supreme Court today suggested a series of measures required to be taken by the state authorities for removing obstacles which prevent differently- abled persons from accessing public places in the country.
A bench comprising justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan referred to the provisions of the Disability Act, 1995 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and noted the measures which were needed for its effective implementation. The apex court said that gates to public places should be made by incorporating necessary accessible standards and they must be made wide enough to allow wheelchairs to pass or turn around easily.
"At places like airports, railway stations etc passengers must be clearly informed about the details of their flight/train such as the gate number for boarding etc via public announcement systems (this practice is, surprisingly, gradually declining)," the bench noted in its verdict. It said that a minimum of three to five parking spaces near the entrance of a public place must be reserved for persons with disabilities and should be clearly indicated by showing the international symbol for disability -- the wheelchair symbol.
"All unnecessary obstructions must be removed, and all access ways must be well lit. Moreover, clear signposts, along with their Braille equivalents should be put up," it said, adding, "Elevators must have clear Braille signs and auditory feedback. The buttons of elevators must be accessible from a wheelchair." The bench said that pictograms must be put up near elevators and other important places such as toilets and employees working at public places must be provided necessary training to enable them to understand the unique set of challenges that persons with disabilities face.
"Wheelchairs and mobility scooters should be available at every public place," the court said. The top court emphasised on the need to provide proper and safe access to roads, transport, buildings and public places to differently abled persons. "It is a well-known fact that persons with visually impaired disability, with which we are concerned, represent far more 'vulnerable section of society' and 'at-risk cases' vis-a-vis their present surroundings which also becomes evident from the well-known fact that insurance companies charge a higher premium on insurance policies extended to the visually disabled as compared to the other persons," it said.
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