The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) plans to create barrier-free access, as per international guidelines, in all the bus termini in its jurisdiction — both among those under construction, and those proposed to be constructed. The CMDA is, at present constructing a bus terminus at Kuthambakkam near Thirumazhisai and proposes to construct two bus terminals in Chengalpattu and Mamallapuram. In Kilambakkam terminus, it made the first attempt to create a bus station that would truly sport barrier-free access.
In a circular issued by the CMDA Member Secretary Anshul Mishra recently, the officials have been directed to create access facilities, as per international standards prescribed in ‘Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility’, in the new bus termini proposed to be constructed and under construction, for easy access by persons with disabilities.
A senior official of the CMDA said, as part of this, the circular has instructions to carry out access audits for all public-related infrastructure facilities by engaging agencies empanelled with the Differently Abled Welfare Department. Also, once the original design and the works are carried out, final audit should be conducted for these infrastructure facilities.
The senior CMDA official said that though a case is pending in the Madras High Court regarding the improvements to be made with respect to accessibility for persons with disabilities and the final audit yet to be completed at the Kilambakkam bus terminus, a private agency has been engaged to prepare an independent report on the various rectification measures to be carried out for making the Kalaignar Centenary bus terminus (KCBT) at Kilambakkam a public facility that has all features prescribed in the harmonised guidelines.
The private agency which conducted an assessment audit in December last year, similar to the audit conducted by a group of non-governmental organisations, including Disability Rights Alliance (DRA) in September last year, has in its findings and recommendations references about the entry to the bus terminus, external pathway, access to various mofussil and Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus bays, parking and alighting, washrooms, visual accessibility, and safety and fire evacuation.
Once the final audit of the non-governmental organisations of persons with disabilities would be carried out, the specifications would be set as a benchmark for creating barrier-free access facility in bus termini under construction and to be constructed, the official said. Also the ‘Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility’ would be incorporated in the already functional bus terminus at Madhavaram, the official added.
The CMDA would soon be engaging a private agency for incorporating changes in the Madhavaram bus terminus for persons with disabilities to access the facility.
Published - March 12, 2024 09:26 pm IST
