Being a person in a wheel chair, accessibility has been the most important item on my wish-list. Today it is a guideline that all the public and semi-public buildings need to have the accessibility features like Ramps, Accessible Toilets, Elevators etc.
In educational institutions this is a must. Because access denied is equivalent to rights-denied. As for as the environment I live is concerned it is far far better than the outside world. All the buildings (almost) have ramps. Thanks to the Government of India Guidelines.
Nevertheless, creating a facility just requires money. But using the same in the right sprite requires some sort of culture. Constructing a ramp and putting the security man's chair right on it is what sort of culture I don't understand. Never ask about the slope of the ramp.. Few of them would provide you a trucking sort of experience.
But something is always better than nothing.. It is good that steps are starting to happen in this regard. Not able to imagine the life of a person in India with wheel chairs 10+ years ago. In my childhood I have never seen ramps other than in hospitals. Happy to see them in many buildings today.
The places like railway stations (mostly) have accessibility only for the sake of having it. The wheel chair they provide are horrible (or at-least the ones that i got, so for) . I found myself very disgusting looking at the porter who moved me to the concerned platform (at Vizupuram station) .. He became so tired because of improper wheel chairs and inconsistent floorings (of course my weight too).. That is the day I decided not to travel by trains any more.. Don't ask about the case of Bus terminals.. Railway stations are far far better in that regard.
At the same time there are certain places like malls in metros which are completely accessible. Couple of months ago I was in Chennai with my friend Mr.B at spencer plaza.. right from the parking the structure is totally accessible.. The day's experience was smooth like a song..
After a long long time I got access to a bookshop, access to a departmental store etc.. thanks to Mr.B :)
Hope in the years to come, accessibility would improve to a level so that it would become usable with out much pain..
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