13th Dec 2006

 

Dear Friends,

 

Greetings,

 

A note to keep you posted on one more advocacy campaign...

 

Please find below the letter that I have written to the Commissioner of Bangalore City Corporation for ensuring all public buildings and external environment are made 'Barrier-Free'.

 

Would be happy for more people to join in this campaign of creating and promoting ‘Universally Accessible Barrier Free Public Spaces’ in our cities...

 

Closing with Greetings for Christmas and the New Year...

 

With warm regards

 

 

Mahesh

 

 

 

13 Dec 2006

 

 

Mr. K. Jayaraj, I.A.S

Commissioner

Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP)

(Bangalore City Corporation)

Narasimha Raja Square

Bangalore – 560 002

 

Tel: 080-22237455/ 22221286

Email: [email protected]

 

Respected Sir,

 

Greetings,

 

Subject: Bye-law No: 31.0 – “FACILITIES FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS”

 

This letter is in continuation with the brief interaction I had with you on 2nd Dec 2006 during the inaugural function of ‘The Universally Accessible Public Play Space’ at Coles Park, Bangalore.

 

Sir, I would like to bring to your kind notice that in the amended building bye laws of the BMP, 2003 - PART IV: SCHEDULE XI on “STRUCTURAL DESIGN AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS”; Bye-law No: 31.0 – “FACILITIES FOR PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS” has mentioned that all public and semi public buildings having covered area of 300 sqm should have facilities for physically handicapped persons.

 

Some of the key points extracted from the Bye-laws from this section are –

  1. Approach to plinth level: At least one entrance shall have approach through a ramp.  The ramp shall have a minimum width of 1.80 metre with maximum gradient of 1:10
  2. The doors shall have a minimum width of 900 mm, to facilitate the free movement of wheel chairs
  3. The minimum width of corridors shall be 1.80 m
  4. Staircases: The minimum width of staircases shall be 1.50 metres
  5. Toilets: One special water closet in a set of toilets shall be provided for the use of handicapped persons
  6. Hand rails: Hand rails shall be provided for ramps, staircases, lifts and toilets. 
  7. Guiding/Warning floor material: The floor material to guide or to warn the visually impaired persons with a change of colour or material with conspicuously different texture and easily distinguishable from the rest of the surrounding floor materials is called guiding or warning floor material. 
  8. Proper signage: Appropriate identification of specific facilities within a building for the handicapped persons should be done with proper signages.

   

In addition, I would like to mention that the same points could be extend to cover external environments such as footpaths/ Public Parks of BMP such as:

 

  1. Footpaths with guiding/ warning floor material – so that person with visual impairments do not bump into any obstacles or walk into a gutter.
  2. Kerb ramps at Walkways and Pedestrian Crossings – for easy access of wheelchair users and people using crutches.
  3. Barrier-free access for persons with disabilities in public toilets for men and women
  4. Barrier-free access in parks
  5. Audio signals at pedestrian crossing – beeps when it is green – assists person with visual impairment to cross the road safely.

 

I would request your kind attention to ensure and enforce the implementation of Bye-law No: 31.0 of the BMP Building Bye-Laws as a means of creating a ‘barrier-free and safe’ environment in which everyone can participate without restrictions.

 

And finally, I appeal to you Sir, to consider the appointment a panel of trained specialist, in which persons with different disabilities are included and this team could play the role of being the watchdogs in conducting ‘Access Audits’ of upcoming buildings such as apartments, schools, colleges, shopping arcades, flyovers, public toilets and parks and this team submits their ‘Access Audit’ report to the BMP for appropriate actions.

 

I do look forward for a positive response from your side and as a person trained in conducting access audits, I would be happy to be part of BMP in taking forward this campaign of creating and promoting ‘Universally Accessible Barrier Free Public Spaces’ in our city Bangalore.

 

Thanking you

 

With warm regards

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

C. Mahesh

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