Metro Stations Will Be Retrofitted Within Six Weeks To Make Them Disable Friendly: CMRL Tells Madras High Court

The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) on Wednesday informed the Madras High Court that it had taken steps to retrofit thirty-two metro stations to make them disabled-friendly and the same will be completed within six weeks' time.

The bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala was considering an application filed by a cross-disability rights advocate to direct the state and CMRL to retrofit its existing metro stations to comply with the Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier Free Built Environment for Persons With Disabilities and Elderly Persons issued by the Ministry of Urban Development in 2016 and to strictly comply with Section 41 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 read with Rule 15 of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017. 

The petitioner contended that Section 41 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 provides for comprehensive accessibility in all modes of transport including the metro rail system. It is the duty of the Union and the State government to ensure that all public transport systems including transport carriers are accessible in accordance with the rules, it was said.

The petitioner informed the court that the metro stations constructed by the respondent CMRL were in violation of the law and were not universally accessible. As per the petitioner, the following features needed to be included in the stations:

i. Anti-reflective flooring which contrasts with walls in colour and is non-slip in dry or wet conditions (resistance of 40-70)

ii. Wheelchair accessible ticket counter with audio induction loop for hearing aid users

iii. Accessible kiosks for blind passengers and wheelchair users.

iv. High contrast signage, displays, information tools and controls with multimodal communication

v. Sliding doors for accessible toilets

vi. Universally designed safety and evacuation equipment

vii. Tactile, high contrast way-finding

viii. Accessible parking

In view of the submissions made by CMRL, the respondents have been given time to take necessary action. The matter has been posted to July 27 for further hearing.

Case Title: Vaishnavi Jayakumar v. State Commissioner for persons with disability and another

Case No: WP No. 11041 of 2020

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