Many footpaths in Kochi remain inaccessible to wheelchair users

The civic authorities of Kochi are yet to make many footpaths on city roads accessible to those using wheelchairs. The State Commissionerate for Persons With Disabilities had ordered the removal of obstacles built along the footpaths so that wheelchairs could move freely.
| Photo Credit: H. VIBHU

Many footpaths in the city remain out of bounds for wheelchair users despite the interventions of the Kerala State Commissionerate for Persons With Disabilities.

The Commissionerate had earlier instructed the authorities to remove bollards along footpaths of recently re-laid roads in the city. A notice was issued, and Kochi Metro Rail Limited was heard regarding the bollards. However, other stakeholders involved in developing footpaths and roads, including the Kochi Corporation and Cochin Smart Mission Limited, were not heard. The initiative was left unfinished as the Commissioner’s tenure ended. According to sources, the Commissioner initiated suo motu action following some media reports.

Meanwhile, wheelchair users in the city complained that most of the footpaths remained inaccessible to them.

While there are no ramps in a large number of footpaths through which wheelchair users can access the walkways, the bollards fixed on the roads denied free movement of wheelchairs, said Rajeev Palluruthy, a wheelchair user and the State general secretary of the All Kerala Wheel Chair Rights Federation.

Though the authorities defended the installation of the bollards as a step to prevent two-wheelers from moving along the footpaths, the obstacles are preventing wheelchair users access to footpaths, he pointed out.

Bollards could be seen installed on some of the recently developed city roads near Ernakulam General Hospital and the ones near Marine Drive, which are frequently accessed by city dwellers. There are around 300 people who are depending on wheelchairs to move around in the district, he said.

Anil Sreemoolanagaram, also a wheelchair user, who moves around in a mobility scooter, finds it difficult to travel along the city roads and access the footpaths to enter shops and other commercial establishments.

The absence of ramps prevents the modified scooters used by differently abled persons from accessing the footpaths, forcing them to park their vehicles on the roads, he said.