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By Lalitha Sridhar Two disabled travel enthusiasts are lobbying for a universal barrier-free environment. They have been responsible for making the Dilli Haat the first barrier-free tourist spot in India
Samarthya ('capability') is a Delhi-based centre for the promotion of a barrier-free environment for disabled persons. It was founded by Sanjeev Sachdeva and Anjlee Agarwal in 1996, both wheelchair-bound and avid travel enthusiasts who have covered 48 cities and over 60,000 kilometres across India since then. Sachdeva and Agarwal add a new dimension to the concept of accessibility. Applying external and internal design considerations, they believe that access is creating and maintaining environments in which all people can participate in ways which are equitable, dignified, maximise independence, conserve energy, are safe and affordable -- for all. Says Agarwal, "When we target only the disabled, at 10% of the population, the powers-that-be are not interested in complying. But the truth is that a variety of people encounter the same problems that the disabled do -- those who are recuperating from an ailment or have suffered fractures, women who are pregnant, those with heavy baggage, those with small kids, suffering from arthritis or cardiovascular problems, or those who are elderly with reduced abilities like failing eyesight or health. So when we talk about visible signages, convenient water closets, easy parking, ramps with a gentle slope of a minimum of 1:12 gradient and so on, it is not just the disabled -- everybody benefits. We call this the universal barrier-free environment. It is not just disabled-friendly, it is user-friendly." Adds Sachdeva, "All the people vulnerable to restrictions of this kind together make up a significant percentage of the population. Surely, anybody marketing an idea would like to keep these potential customers in mind -- be it in theatres or shopping complexes or resorts. We believe businesses will appreciate the sound economic sense in making their establishments accessible to all." Samarthya was instrumental in making Delhi's upmarket tourist hotspot, the Dilli Haat, barrier-free. A joint venture of Delhi Tourism and the New Delhi Metropolitan Corporation, the Union Ministry of Textiles in association with Samarthya turned it into possibly the first barrier-free tourist spot in the nation. It came in for commendation from Judy Huemmn, Disability Advisor to the World Bank, herself a disabled person, as the only place of tourist interest in Delhi that she could enjoy. Samarthya has also conducted a feasibility study of the Delhi Metro for accessible transportation in India. Says Agarwal, "People with disabilities have equal right to travel with dignity and grace, as well as have access to all tourism infrastructure, products and services. Has the tourism policy taken into consideration the concerns and requirements of disabled tourists? Has the tourism department or have tourist destinations maintained any record, data or statistics about the number of disabled tourists visiting them? The answer would simply be a big NO." In the year 2001 India recorded 25,37,282 foreign tourist arrivals and 234 million domestic tourists visiting places of historical, religious, and tourist interest. The major obstacles in using the existing modes of transportation include movement between levels (bus depots, railway stations, airports and harbours), procedures (ticketing, immigration, check-in, transit, baggage), information displays, services (passenger assistance, retail outlets, money exchanges) and toilet access. Other areas of concern are site accessibility, architectural barriers in places of accommodation and the lack of need-specific travel packages. These were issues that Samarthya represented to the UNESCAP workshop on accessible tourism in Bali, in 2000. The Bali Conference adopted the Bali Declaration which placed the issue of barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities on the agenda of the UNESCAP countries. The Archaeological Survey of India has now made it mandatory to ensure disabled-friendly access at all sites and monuments maintained by it. Yet, says Agarwal, "The ramp at Mahabalipuram is so steep, it's more like a rocket launcher!" Says Sachdeva, "By calling disabled people 'special', there is segregation. We are, in fact, wary of using the term disabled-friendly. User-friendly is more universal and results in greater adoption of the recommendations. The disabled can be equally productive, sometimes even more so." But, cautions A K Mittal, Regional Director of the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, himself visually impaired, "One sometimes wonders if we are not oversimplifying things. Yes, we need universal design. We are not 'special' people, but we are people with special needs. Improved design incorporates those needs." Contact: B-181, Manasarovar Garden,
New Delhi - 110015
Telefax : 91-11-25919389, Mobile 98105 58321
E-mail:
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Executive Director - Anjlee Agarwal
Programme Coordinator - Sanjeev Sachdeva -- Lalitha Sridhar InfoChange News & Features, November 2003
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