Maharashtra governor announces ramps to make Raj Bhavan disabled-friendly

Governer Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Saturday announced that his office has been directed to make the arrangements.

Special ramps will be constructed at the Raj Bhavan, the office and residence of Maharashtra’s governor, to make the 47-acre Malabar Hill property disabled-friendly.

The Governor’s residence and office, the Raj Bhavan complex. (HT File)

Governer Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Saturday announced that his office has been directed to make the arrangements. Speaking after releasing a book – Mann Ki Baat: A Social Revolution on Radio, a compilation of the content of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly interactive radio programme – Rao said: “I have directed my office to make the arrangements at the earliest.”

He referred to one of the episodes of Mann Ki Baat, where the Prime Minister spoke about using the term ‘divyang’ (divine body) instead of ‘viklang’ (disabled).

At the Raj Bhavan, the Banquet Hall, Darbar Hall and the Maharashtra State Formation Memorial or Flag Post are the three places with maximum footfalls. The governor’s office is preparing to make these three places disabled-friendly along with the Lower Lawn, where the At Home Reception takes place on January 26 (Republic Day) every year. The visitors include not just officials from the government, but also several delegations and guests.

“The Flag Post is the latest creation where we can easily construct a ramp. Banquet Hall is an old building and we will have to come up with a special planning for such facility there. Since Darbar Hall is under repairs, we can plan the facilities immediately. The Lower Lawn is at a level below the surface and hence we will have to make special arrangements for a ramp there,” said an official from the Raj Bhavan.

The official said that since most of the structures on the premises have been notified as Grade-I heritage structures, any construction needs special planning and permissions from authorities concerned.