CHANDIGARH, June 29: The State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has directed the Chandigarh administration to expedite accessibility upgrades at the city’s Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs), particularly at Sector 17, following complaints over non-compliance with standards laid down under the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
The directive came during a hearing on Thursday in response to a complaint filed by advocate Shiv C Bhola, who has a benchmark disability. Bhola stated that during a visit to the railway counter at ISBT-17, he found it located on the second floor without any ramp or tactile flooring. He also noted that handrails were at improper heights and no accessible bathrooms were available.
“There were no Braille-enabled signs, no audiovisual announcements, no reserved parking spaces with the appropriate markings, and the staff behavior towards persons with disabilities was rude and insensitive,” Bhola said in his complaint filed under Section 80 of the Act.
Taking a serious view of the infrastructural and attitudinal barriers, the commission questioned the delay in execution despite existing proposals. During a previous hearing on June 20, officials from Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) and the engineering department stated that a proposal for accessibility modifications at ISBT-17 had been submitted on April 4 this year. However, the architectural drawings required to proceed with the work were still awaited from the Department of Urban Planning.
The commission has now instructed officials to secure and submit the necessary drawings no later than July 10, warning against any further delay.
In contrast, the engineering department reported that accessibility-related civil works at ISBT-43—including the construction of ramps and laying of tactile tiles—had been completed. Supporting documents and photographs were presented to the commission along with an affidavit from the supervising sub-divisional officer.
“The remaining concerns raised in the petition must be addressed immediately upon receipt of the pending documents,” the commission said, reiterating the urgency of adhering to accessibility standards.
The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for July 10.
