Barrier Free Victory

In a landmark decision the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has decided to make about 34 monuments, including the Taj Mahal and Khajuraho, accessible to wheelchair users by providing ramps at these heritage sites. This decision was taken by the Culture Minister, Mr. Ananth Kumar and the ASI Director General Ms. Komal Anand in the first week of February. In the first phase 14 monuments are slated to be covered, followed by the rest in subsequent phases.

This decision comes in the wake of the furore over the ASI’s decision to remove the ramps at the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb and Jantar Mantar in Delhi. These monuments had been provided with wooden ramps to facilitate Professor Stephen Hawking’s visit to these places during his recent trip to Delhi. In fact before Professor Hawking’s visit the ASI had initially refused to provide ramp, temporary or otherwise, at any of these places, citing the present law which states that no permanent structure can be built within 100 meters of a protected monument. It was only after a concerted effort6 by Mr. Javed Abidi, Executive Director, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) that the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment directed the ASI to facilitate the construction of temporary wooden ramps for Professor Hawking’s trip.

When the ASI tried to remove the ramps after Professor Hawking’s visit, disability activists in the city protested and a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Delhi High Court. The court responded favourably and stayed the move. Among other things the PIL demands the adaptation of toilets for wheel chair users in public places, Braille symbols and auditory signals in elevators and ramps in hospitals and primary health centres.

Source: Success & Ability
Issue: Jan-Mar, 2001