Bhubaneswar: Hundreds of people visiting the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) often witness a pathetic sight of physically challenged people struggling to enter these offices due to the absence of ramps.
These civic body buildings have taken some half-hearted measures for providing access to physically challenged people. However, these facilities are not at all helpful for them as they are placed on the parking side of the corporation buildings.
The parked vehicles at these locations often block the access of physically challenged people and makes the BMC and BDA buildings inaccessible to specially-abled people. For instance, the access for physically challenged people to BDA office is through the basement of the building. But, this basement is also used for parking vehicles and the parked vehicles often block the way and make the access through this location impossible.
The situation is worse in the case of BMC building as it doesn’t have any sign board informing about the permanent ramp access for disabled people. As a result, the vehicles are parked in front of this permanent ramp and the disabled people are at the mercy of some visitors or kind-hearted officials to enter the corporation office. Fortunately, the BDA building has put up at least a sign board regarding the entrance for the physically challenged.
The corporation usually conducts grievance hearing sessions on the first floor of BMC building but the important civic body of the smart city in the country has ignored the voice of specially-abled citizens.
“It’s difficult for me to enter the office as there is no ramp. But, some kind-hearted individuals helped me enter the office and I met the officer,” said Chittaranjan Sahu, (name changed on request) a physically challenged person who came to BMC office on his tricycle.
Meanwhile, urban planning experts suggested the need for a helpline for physically challenged people. “The civic body can start a helpline number that the physically challenged can use for informing the corporation about their visit. The corporation can also provide a volunteer for helping them,” said Piyush Ranjan Rout, urban planner.
Human rights activists also stressed on the need for ensuring access for the physically challenged. “The civic body should take necessary measures to protect the rights of these people. Otherwise, it would be a human rights violation,” said Manoj Jena, core group member of National Human Rights Commission.
Ironically, the public works department along with the civic body and the development authority this year have planned to install ramps for specially-abled people at 21 major public places in the city. However, it fails to identify the problem in its own offices.
When Orissa POST brought the issue to the notice of Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena he immediately contacted the officer concerned who promised remedial action.
Jose K Joseph, OP
