All Chandigarh parks to be made barrier-free
Sandeep Rana
Chandigarh, December 10
With a focus on people with disabilities and senior citizens, city parks and gardens will be made barrier-free.
The Municipal Corporation (MC) has plans to provide such facilities in all parks by December next year, while all major parks will be made barrier-free in the current financial year only.
The MC has roped in an NGO for the project and it will make suggestions for no charges. The NGO’s head, who herself is a divyang, submitted a report to the civic body as to what all measures may be taken to make the parks disable and senior citizen-friendly.
“We have been suggested a large number of things vis-à-vis the visually impaired and physically challenged under the project. We will now work on what all we may incorporate in the parks,” said an MC official.
The main part of the project is to remove obstructions to ensure a smooth mobility for the members of these two segments of society. Most parks have a zig-zag entrance that hinders the entry of people on wheelchairs or other mobility aids. The plan is to have uninhibited access for them. Area inside parks where changes in pathways and slopes are required will be taken care of. Besides, all public conveniences will be made barrier-free.
President of NGO Arrive Safe, Harman Singh Sidhu, who is a divyang, said, “The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has given specifications about does and don’ts in this regard. Old gardens are already barrier-free for us, but those constructed in the past 15-20 years are not.”
Work underway at community centres
The MC has started work to make all existing community centres barrier-free. The new ones are being planned with the provision of such facilities.
Work to be completed by Dec next
- MC has roped in an NGO which will make suggestions at no cost
- Civic body plans to provide such facilities in all parks by Dec next year
- Major parks will be made barrier-free in the current financial year only
