5 months ago
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Persons with disabilities (PwDs) activists person raised concerns implicit the mode successful which bollards would beryllium installed connected pavements, aft the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) floated tenders . The activists stated that the existent attack obstructs pedestrian access, peculiarly for wheelchair users, and underminines pedestrian safety.
Vaishnavi Jayakumar, a disablement rights activist, said that bollards were primitively intended to support pedestrians and meant to beryllium placed adjacent to the carriageway. “The intent of bollards appears to person shifted to lone preventing unauthorised parking and vehicular movement,” she said. She noted that galore roads successful Chennai inactive bash not person pavements, portion those that do, are often damaged oregon encroached upon by parked vehicles. In the lack of due regulation, bollards are installed indiscriminately crossed footpaths, making them hard oregon intolerable to navigate for wheelchair users, elder citizens and children.
She pointed retired that determination is nary tallness quality betwixt the roadworthy and the pavement connected Khader Nawaz Khan Road, and successful the lawsuit of a conveyance going retired of control, the bollards would not connection immoderate existent extortion to pedestrians. “Where is roadworthy safety? Where is equity successful immoderate of this?” Ms. Vaishnavi asked. “Instead of ensuring wide pedestrian passages, bollards and paver blocks are often laid astir trees oregon electrical poles without considering accessibility. This is similar the adding insult to injury” .
She besides pointed retired that successful 2023, pursuing a Madras High Court bid successful a nationalist involvement litigation, bollards were required to beryllium placed and designed successful a mode that ensured casual transition for wheelchair users. Even aft much than 2 years, the bollards identified successful the PIL for being obstructive person not been rectified by either the GCC oregon the Highways Department.
Recommendations submitted by the Disability Rights Alliance, see a minimum 1,000 mm wide width for wheelchair entree and layouts that forestall two-wheelers from encroaching onto pavements. However, she said that the caller tenders floated by the GCC bash not disclose immoderate details regarding bollard placement, spacing oregon plan specifications, giving the content that the Corporation is proceeding with regular tenders without drawings oregon accessibility standards.
The GCC projected the installation of 24,400 bollards for a full estimated outgo of ₹8.68 crore. This includes 2,000 bollards each successful Zones I, II, III and VII astatine a outgo of ₹71 lakh, 2,700 bollards each successful Zones IV, V, VI, VIII, IX, X and XIII astatine ₹96 lakh per zone, 1,500 bollards successful Zones XI and XV astatine ₹54 lakh, and 2,000 bollards successful Zones XII and XIV astatine ₹71 lakh.
Sathish Kumar, different PwD activist, said that ramps and intelligibly designated introduction and exit points are indispensable for wheelchair users to entree footpaths. A perpendicular bollard design, akin to those utilized successful Malaysia, had been projected to the GCC 2 months ago, arsenic it would let wheelchair question portion preventing two-wheelers from entering pavements. However, helium said, nary effect has been received truthful far.
Mr. Sathish besides suggested wider usage of table-top oregon continuous footpaths, with speed-breaker-like structures astatine intersections to guarantee seamless pedestrian movement, akin to the installation already tried adjacent the Ranjith Road awesome adjacent to the Anna Library successful Kotturpuram by GCC. Standing Committee Chairperson (Works) N. Chitrarasu said helium was not alert of the plan and would cheque connected the contented arsenic soon arsenic possible.
