Citizen Connect: St Thomas Mount Metro station remains inaccessible for diff-abled

CHENNAI: To make Metro stations barrier-free, the Madras High Court in June last year ordered the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to retrofit metro stations within the span of six months.

However, several differently-abled passengers have complained about various drawbacks in accessing the stations, including toilets, ramps and low-raise ticket counters.

The toilets built for differently-abled persons and ramps at St Thomas Mount Metro station are not accessible, allege users.

Speaking to DT Next, a differently-abled person who is a regular Metro Rail traveller said, “The restroom is not entirely accessible at St Thomas Metro station. The ramp to the toilet is too steep and the pathway leading to the toilet is also inaccessible.”

“Additionally, the handlebar of the toilet is fixed. Doors are not wide enough and also the handlebar near the western toilet is unmovable. May not be for all, but such hurdles will immensely cause difficulty for wheelchair users,” added the Person with Disability (PwD).

Several PwDs have opined that CMRL should focus on increasing the accessibility at Metro stations so that all types of persons with disability can access the toilets, including trans persons in the future.

“If the accessibility is given the most importance at metro stations, it can serve for all people, including trans persons, as they do not have a separate toilet at Chennai Metro stations,” added the PwD.

Subsequently, PwDs added that the low-raise ticket counters specifically built for PwDs have not been put in use, despite it being constructed months ago.

CMRL officials did not respond when contacted.