Mumbai Marathon: Facilities disappoint the disabled

Visually-challenged people participated in the Mumbai Marathon for the first time since its inception ten years ago. However, they didn’t leave with any pleasant memories as organisers failed to make adequate arrangements for them.

Even though they participated in the champions with disabilities run, they were asked to collect medals meant for the half marathon by organisers.

“There was no one to direct us even after two hours of completing the run. Volunteers didn’t know where the medals were being distributed. Later, they convinced us to make do with medals for the 21-kilometre race which we never ran,” said Sushmeetha Bubna, founder director, Voice Vision, an NGO that works for the visually impaired.

She added that it was very difficult for the visually challenged to reach the starting point at CST from Churchgate station and there were no volunteers to assist them to find their way among the heavy barricading.

Bruno Goveas, director, media relations, Procam International apologised for the inconvenience caused to participants who tried to reach the starting point from other roads and encountered barricading. “However, there has to be some form of barricading to monitor movement at an event involving participation of more than 38,000 people,” he said.

Visually impaired individuals who participated in the marathon said more arrangements should have been made for the disabled.