University launches disability access audit

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 22

Adhering to the Chandigarh Administration’s decision of making UT the first disabled-friendly city, NSS volunteers from Panjab University launched their access audit survey from the Vice-Chancellor Office here on Friday.

Programme Coordinator Navdeep Sharma said: “Accessibility has been one of the most neglected issues in the disability sector. The disabled in India remain confined to their homes as attempts to travel, entering buildings, parks or shops can be unsafe and humiliating. Environmental access is a legal entitlement for people with disabilities and should be vigorously enforced. Attitudinal changes have to be brought about among policy makers in the government and private sectors, design professionals, architects, manufacturers”.

Dr Upneet Kaur Mangat, Programme Officer, NSS, said the survey would run for four days in areas allocated to the PU NSS volunteers, wherein they will audit public infrastructure in Sector 14, 15, 25 and 25-West. The audit will be done for university departments and offices, public facilities, schools, religious places, markets, banks, health facilities, transport, Sampark Centres, public toilets, community centres, playgrounds, sports ground and parks. The audit report will be given to the Government Rehabilitation Institute for Intellectual Disability (GRIID) which will further submit a report to the Administration.