HC slams BMC for improperly installed bollards obstructing wheelchairs

The Bombay high court reprimanded the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for installing bollards on footpaths that obstruct wheelchair users. The court demanded accountability and instructed BMC to submit a detailed affidavit outlining the steps taken to rectify the issue.

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court (HC) on Wednesday reprimanded the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for installing bollards on footpaths that obstruct the movement of people using wheelchairs. Expressing dismay, the court questioned the lack of consideration on the part of civic officials and remarked that those responsible for the installation should be held accountable.

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“How can BMC be so unmindful? How can your officers be so unmindful? the court asked. The officers who installed this should be taken to task. A person using a wheelchair is unable to pass through it, the court remarked.

The observation came during a hearing on a suo moto public interest litigation prompted by a letter from Karan Shah, a Shivaji Park resident who relies on a wheelchair due to muscular atrophy type III. Shah sought help from advocate Jamshed Mistry, highlighting the bollards’ hindrance, describing it as a mockery for wheelchair-bound individuals seeking accessible pathways.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Arif S Doctor after, acknowledging Shah’s concerns, directed BMC to respond to these claims.

In the recent hearing, BMC’s representative, senior advocate Anil Singh, informed the court about the municipality’s new footpath policy aimed at addressing issues faced by wheelchair users. Singh stated that BMC is conducting surveys of footpaths across the city, having completed surveys in 12 out of 24 wards. He assured the court of maintaining at least a 1-metre distance between bollards to enhance accessibility.

The court has now instructed BMC to submit a detailed affidavit outlining the survey findings and the steps taken to rectify the accessibility problem caused by the bollards. Moreover, the court demanded actions against the officers responsible for the oversight in the initial installations.