City lacks disabled-friendly facilities

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, December 2

Despite the city being home to over 80,000 differently abled persons, the district authorities have turned a blind eye to the struggle being faced by them in commuting and accessing various facilities here.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities today

City railway station, bus transport, public parks, marketplaces, most government offices, District Social Security Office, MC office and Suvidha Centres are not accessible for differently abled persons.

Politicians make promises to build ramps or elevators at the city railway station ahead of elections, but nothing has been done so far.

Amarjit Anand, member, State Advisory Board, Divyanjan, Punjab, said he wrote to the Minister and the Principal Secretary of the Social Security Women and Child Development urging them to illuminate prominent buildings, corporation houses, etc., in purple from December 3 to 5 to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities. He highlighted the lack of recognition for the disability sector, despite the annual celebration of the day by the state government, in accordance with the Right of People with Disability Act – 2016.

Kapil, a polio-afflicted youth in the city, said: “Most government schools and colleges, barring a few private institutions, lack facilities for students like him. During examinations, they had to face a tough time reaching upper floors”.