PwDs unsatisfied with reworked ramp at Egmore Metro station

CHENNAI: The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) rectified ramps and parking facility at Egmore Metro station, days after DT Next reported that the station had accessibility issues. However, the persons with disability and members of Disability Rights Alliance (DRA) are not convinced that the reworked space would meet the standards prescribed under the harmonised guidelines for accessibility. Earlier, the accessible route at the parking lot was barricaded with a rope, while the one where passengers are allowed was not accessible by PwDs. Also, disabled persons complained that the ramp at the lot was too steep for wheelchair users. The CMRL has laid a new ramp at the parking lot for wheelchair users and also removed the rope for easy movement. But, PwDs wondered why the original ramp was not reworked instead of building a new one. They also alleged that the additional space for the ramp had eaten up the parking space allotted for PwDs.

Speaking to DT Next, Sathish Kumar, a member of DRA and a wheelchair user, said, “We appreciate CMRL’s response to the complaint. However, the new ramp will be helpful only for those using motorised wheelchair and not those using manual wheelchairs. Hence, the ramp is still not fully accessible. Also, by building the new ramp, we are now left with less parking space,” he rued.