Railways to become disabled-friendly

Nadira Gunatilleke

COLOMBO: All existing public buildings and public places where common services are available should be made accessible to persons with disabilities by October 10, 2009.

As a first step, the Railway will soon provide special facilities for disabled persons. An electronic train timetable display will be set up at the Maradana Railway station at a cost of Rs.235,000. This will be particularly useful for the deaf who do not hear announcements of train schedules, M.D.C. Jayamanne, Acting Deputy Director, Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry said.

The Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry will also fund the Railway to provide special toilets for the disabled. Each toilet will cost Rs.300,000 and funds have already been granted to the Maradana Railway station to built the facility.

`Sethsiripaya' and other State-owned institutions will also be given special access facilities that will be useful for disabled persons.

Under this project, entrances, vehicle parks, toilets and many other places will be equipped to facilitate disabled persons.

An allocation of Rs.445,000 had been granted to the Tower Hall Theatre to build special access facilities for the disabled, he added.

A minimum of five percent of houses should be built with access facilities for the disabled persons in all housing schemes which have a minimum of 20 units according to new regulations. The State should provide a minimum ten percent of public transport accessible to people who have disabilities in accordance with the regulations.

Some public places located in the heart of Colombo city do not have access facilities for the disabled. They are Viharamahadevi Park, Elphinstone Theatre, public toilets, Osusala and central dispensaries, libraries, community halls, public telephone booths, supermarkets, cinemas, post offices, banks and municipal councils of Dehiwala, Kotte and Mount Lavinia.