Showing posts with label Access4All. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Access4All. Show all posts

Friday, June 17, 2022

Tactile Pavers must be reliable and standardized across built environment - CABE Foundation intervenes in a pedestrian sidewalk project in Delhi

 

“We live in a society that extols mobility, autonomy and freedom.”

~ Steven Mintz


Have you wondered how a person with a visual disability commutes from point A to point B?  A lot of planning and inquiry goes into commuting, things that a person with a visual disability may take into consideration in terms of accessibility are: 

  1. Does the traffic light have a beeper for me to understand whether I can cross the road or not? 

  2. Are the sidewalks clear, safe and have proper Kerbs? 

  3. Do the sidewalks have tactile pavers or TGSIs?


In this article, we provide an overview of Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSIs) and how the CABE Foundation recently identified and highlighted incorrect laying of TGSIs in one of the stretches being developed by a contractor in the Delhi Cantonment Board area and facilitated modifications in the same. 


TGSIs have a specific function and impart specific information about the immediate surroundings. TGSIs act as, and are interpreted as landmarks. The two types of Tactile pavers that we use in India are warning indicators and directional indicators.

  • Tactile Warning Indicators (Dottype)/ Tactile Warning Blocks. Warning indicators, as the name suggests, warn of either a hazard or a destination. 

  • Tactile Guiding Indicators (Linetype)/ Tactile Guiding Blocks Tactile guiding or directional indicators are used to direct the user from one point to another along a safe path of travel. 


Tactile paving should be used on access routes to provide warning and guidance to people with visual difficulties. The need for TGSI’s is critical and requires to be laid out with a holistic integration with built environments. Partial and incorrect laying of TGSI’s may cause inconvenience and may be hazardous for persons with visual impairments. 


TGSI’s should be well integrated and appropriately placed into external and internal spaces right from the inception stage of a built environment. It is recommended to make TGSI’s part of the access route plan. In essence, a clear continuous accessible path of travel is one that provides a dedicated pedestrian space which is free from barriers, hazards or obstructions read more here 

On the 9th of June, CABE Foundation identified that the tactile pavements of the Delhi cantonment area are not placed as per the Harmonised Guidelines under the RPWD Act 2016. It was noticed by the team that the pavements were aligned very close to the edge whereas they need to be placed in the middle of the sidewalk for ease of access and to avoid any hazardous accidents.

“Obstacles such as lighting columns, bollards, signposts, seats and trees, should be located at or beyond the boundaries of walkways. Where unavoidable, protruding objects should not reduce the clear width of an accessible route or maneuvering space.”
~ Article 5.1.4., Harmonised Guidelines and space standards for barrier free built environments for persons with disability and elderly persons. 

Quick Intervention

As the above was brought to notice of the Court of the State Commissioner of Persons with Disability, NCT of Delhi. On SCPD’s intervention basis CABE Foundation’s intimation – a quick intervention  was undertaken by the CEO Delhi Cantonment Board within a week’s time to rectify the ongoing project of sidewalks development within a week’s time,

Challenges

The whole process also highlighted that there are still many areas for improvement as all the other pavements in the cantonment have been constructed in a similar manner. 

Recommendation

Standards need to be kept in mind from the design stage itself to avoid future costs of time and efforts. In addition, it is essential that training of all the stakeholders i.e. the Management, Engineers, Contractors and their staff  need to be ensured before undertaking the implementation of accessibility initiatives.

CABE Foundation strongly believes in standardising the accessibility of built environments in all sectors. We provide accessibility training as well to strive for an end-to-end impact. If you come across such instances, feel free to reach out to us. You can get in touch with us if you need handholding in implementing accessibilty iniatiatives in your institution. 


Thursday, April 27, 2017

3 Day Training Course on Accessible India Campaign for CPWD Architects conducted

Dear Colleagues,


CABE, India conducted yet another 3- day Full time Accessibility Training Program under 'Accessible India Campaign' for the Architects of CPWD at National CPWD Academy, Ghaziabad as a part of the "Foundation Training Program for Dy. Architects -2016 Batch & Special Training Program for Assistant Architects" during 24-26 April 2017.

A total of 30 Architects (19 Dy. Architects + 11 Asst. Architects) underwent the three day rigorous training program consisting of components such as Law & Policy Framework on Disability, Salient features of new Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Disability Sensitization, Disability Etiquette, Anthropometry, Universal Design, Detailed study of Accessibility Standards followed by Practical Access Audits by Trainees & presentations of Access Audit Reports.

Simulation in progress-1

Simulation in progress-2

Simulation in progress-3


Written Evaluation Test after the training in progress

A group photo of the batch of Trainees taken at the close of training program
A group photo of the batch of Trainees taken at the close of training program


For more pictures, visit our Facebook Page  here or the specific album on the page here. 

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

India takes strides to make world heritage sites accessible on this World Tourism Day

Dear colleagues,

United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has been celebrating the World Tourism Day (WTD) on September 27 since the year 1980. The statue of UNWTO was adopted on 27th September 1970 which is considered as a milestone in global tourism. 

WTD is celebrated every year to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide. Universal Access in Tourism (UAT) responds to Article 2.2 of the UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism which states: “Tourism activities should respect the equality of men and women in that they should promote human rights and, more particularly, the individual rights of the most vulnerable groups, notably children, the elderly, the handicapped, ethnic minorities and indigenous people.”

UNWTO has decided to have the theme of #WTD2016 as Tourism for All - Promoting Universal Accessibility. The celebration of the World Tourism Day 2016 under the above theme comes at an encouraging time for international tourism as more political decision makers and the tourism industry are advocating for tourism for all, a tourism which can be enjoyed equally by everybody, regardless of one’s age or abilities. The event seeks to address global challenges outlined in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to highlight the contribution the tourism sector can make in reaching these goals.

Reiterating the need of accessibility for all, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, in his official message on World Tourism Day said, "Everyone has the right to access leisure and tourism services on an equal basis. Yet one billion people around the world living with disability, along with young children, seniors and persons with other access requirement, face obstacles in accessing fundamentals of travel such as clear and reliable information, efficient transportation and public services, and a physical environment that is easy to navigate. Even with modern technologies, those with visual, hearing, mobility or cognitive impairments are being left behind in many tourism destinations." 

India has 32 UNESCO recognised World Heritage Sites (WHS), which generate important revenues due to the large numbers of both domestic and international tourists. In the recent years, India has been focusing on making its tourism products and services accessible to all particularly the tourists with disabilities, seniors, children & women. Archaeological Survey of India is partnering with non-profits & other stakeholders to ensure that sensitive cultural monuments are adapted without damaging the unique heritage character of the monument yet, these become visitable by all on an equal basis with others. Of these, WHS like Qutb Minar & Red Fort in Delhi and Fatehpur Sikri in Agra have won National Tourism Awards for being made accessible  & disabled friendly in the past few years. Some other monuments are in the process. 

Though the pace of enhancing accessibility in tourism products is not as per the rising aspirations of the stakeholders, however the nation is on right track.  

Govt. of India under its Accessible India Campaign in partnership with Archaeological Survey of India, Ministry of Culture is planing to make major world heritage sites/ monuments accessible within a time bound manner, though the ASI have completed access improvements at some very promising projects on monuments under Delhi & Agra Circles. However, it needs to speed up the work. This is not just important to meet the legal mandate under the Persons with Disabilities Act 1995, UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (UN CRPD) but also to attract a huge chunk of the section of potential tourists  that has some or the other form of disability. Many countries have achieved remarkable access improvements while India is still struggling due to inherent challenges. But there is hope - a hope for better accessibility at tourism sites so that persons with disabilities could also enjoy their rights to recreation, leisure and culture on an equal basis with others as enshrined in Article 30 of the CRPD.

On this World Tourism Day, we commit ourselves to make Indian Tourism sites & services welcoming to all with a greater vigour.