Chennai: The city is expected to get more disabled-friendly soon as Chennai corporation proposes to construct 348 public toilets in a disabled-friendly manner.
The civic body will give out the tender for construction of the toilets by December-end in which 20 to 25 per cent of the units in every conservancy block would be disabled-friendly.
“The toilets will be fitted with ramps and the interior design of the units will be made to make the differently-abled comfortable,” said a senior official of the corporation said.
“The number of units allocated for disabled people will range according to the size and space of the toilets,” the official added.
“Even the pavements are being made friendly for the physically challenged as around 55 wide footpaths recently laid do not have any obstruction and have ramp finish. The next phase will have 250 such footpaths laid while bollards are erected to prevent cars and bikes being parked there,” the official said.
“We had five physically challenged persons in our committee while designing the new footpaths and we would also have them in designing the toilets if required,” the corporation official said.
Earlier on Tuesday, a group of volunteers from Vidya Sagar, an NGO supporting differently-abled, people conducted a signature campaign demanding disabled-friendly environment and accessible facilities in the city.
“We have been getting signatures to support and create universal, barrier-free design in built environment, roads and pavements and to include differently-abled people in committees while planning new products and environments for us,” said Smitha Sathasivam of Vidya Sagar.
“The mayor also read aloud the oath to create such friendly environment for us along with other officials. Commissioner Vikram Kapur has assured to use disabled-friendly cycles in the proposed cycle tracks in the city,” she added.
“At least in the new toilets, the corporation must give prime importance to cleanliness,” said Ananth Kumar, a college student.
