‘Check on Saturday if 13 spots have facilities for specially-abled’

BMC had assured the court that it would inspect facilities for differently-abled persons at public spaces stated in the PIL, the inspection had not been undertaken yet.

The Bombay high court (HC) has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to conduct a joint inspection of 13 spots in the city that have ramps for the specially-abled, but are unusable as the gradient is too steep or does not have railings, on Saturday. The court has also indicated that it will direct the HC registry to check grievances lodged by differently-abled persons and senior citizens regarding the lack of proper facilities in lower courts.

The bench directed the BMC official concerned to conduct a joint inspection with the petitioner on Saturday, to measure the gradient of ramps and check the facilities provided at locations mentioned in the PIL. (HT FILE)

The division bench of chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Bharati Dangre, while hearing a PIL filed by advocate and activist Abha Singh, was informed that though the BMC had assured the court that it would inspect facilities for differently-abled persons at public spaces stated in the PIL, the inspection had not been undertaken yet.

On Monday, Singh submitted the grievance of a senior citizen from south Mumbai, with 86% disability in the lower body, who found it difficult to access the Esplanade and city civil courts as ramps and disabled-friendly washrooms were not accessible or were insufficient. Singh submitted that housing societies should also be directed to install ramps.

The bench directed the BMC official concerned to conduct a joint inspection with the petitioner on Saturday, to measure the gradient of ramps and check the facilities provided at locations mentioned in the PIL. The court directed Singh to include the senior citizen’s grievance in her petition. The matter will be heard after two weeks.