SDMC ordered to fix infra for disabled in markets

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has told the court of state commissioner for persons with disabilities that it will finish work on making markets easily accessible for the specially abled within two months. The commissioner’s court had issued a showcause-cum-hearing notice to the SDMC on November 19, following a report in Hindustan Times (published on November 12).

HT got in touch with Meenu and her husband Samuel Mani, both wheelchair-bound persons, with the help of an NGO, ‘Svayam - National Centre for Inclusive Environment’, and visited M Block Greater Kailash I, New Friends Colony, Hauz Khas and Green Park. The visit exposed the lack of ramps and other access related infra at shops in these markets.

The commissioner’s court took suo motu cognizance of the HT report and sought an action taken report from SDMC. The state commissioner for persons with disabilities TD Dhariyal visited M-Block Greater Kailash I on November 13 and New Friends Colony on November 17.

“During my visit I found none of the shops in M-Block market are accessible for wheel chair users as every shop was 2-3 steps above the road and there was no ramp. Also, there was no reserved parking for persons with disabilities in either of two parking lots there,” said Dhariyal.

“At NFC market, though the compound accessible, none of the shops or service provider’s premises can be accessed by a person on a wheel chair except Nathu’s Sweets and Standard Chartered Bank,” he said.

The court issued a notice to SDMC, returnable within nine days.

“I was surprised after reading HT story because the ministry of social justice and empowerment accepted the SDMC’s proposal in 2016 for an extensive makeover of NFC and GK I M block markets. Yet, work is yet to be done,” said Dhariyal.

During a hearing on December 27, SDMC officials said work is in progress at these markets and will be completed in two months. The court also directed the civic agency to submit a fresh report after completing the work.

A senior SDMC official said that the order will be implemented on priority. A compliance report will also be submitted after completion of the task, he said.

Sminu Jindal, founder of ‘Svayam’, an NGO, said all public places and markets should be made disabled friendly. “We need to be sensitive to the requirements of such people,” she said.

The court has also asked the monitoring committee headed by principal secretary, department of urban development too oversee the work and issue appropriate instructions to other concerned agencies so that buildings and other services are made accessible for disable persons by June 2019.