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‘Public places should be disabled-friendly in 6 months’
TIMES NEWS NETWORK 7 May 05
Mumbai: In a landmark order, the Bombay high court has directed the Maharashtra
government to ensure that all public places and buildings are made disabled
friendly in six months. A division bench of Chief Justice Dalveer Bhandari and
justice S A Bobde has directed that all existing and new public buildings should
be accessible and barrier-free for disabled persons. Courts, hospitals, schools,
markets, banks and all government offices will compulsorily have to construct
railings, ramps and disabled-friendly toilets.
The court’s order came on a public interest litigation filed by the ILS Law
College Legal Cell at Pune, on behalf of diasbled people. The PIL sought the
implementation of the Persons With Disabilites Act, 1995.
“This is a giant step,’’ said advocate Jamshed Mistry, cousel for
ADAPT.” No other state in the country has set a time frame for implementing
disabled friendly measures. Disabled persons can now lead a quality independent
life’’.
The judges made it clear that the government would not be given any extensions
to the six month time frame set by the court. The matter has now been kept for
hearing on June 15, to monitor the progress in implementing the courts orders.
The court has also asked the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation to
file an affidavit on introducing disabled friendly buses in the state.
Meanwhile, the judges have asked that Tata Motors to file an affidavit as to how
soon it can deliver 30 disabled friendly buses to Brihanmumbai Electric Supply
and T r a n s p o r t (BEST). BEST has sought an extension till December 31,
2005 to introduce the 30 low floor buses. “Tata Motors has said it will
deliver five special buses every month,” said advocate general Ravi Kadam.
“30 buses can be introduced into the fleet in six months,” said Kadam. On
March 31, 2004, when the high court directed BEST to buy 30 low-floor buses by
July 1, 2004. Despite this, only the prototype was unveiled before the media on
Tuesday.
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