On Tuesday morning, F. Matilda, a wheelchair user, tried to navigate a steep ramp at Central Square near the Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. MGR Chennai Central Railway Station. Her wheelchair kept sliding backwards, and a friend soon had to assist her.
Like Matilda, Persons with disabilities from Chennai and activists had gathered at Central Square to mark an important date — the June 15 deadline specified in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, and Rules — as the final date for retrofitting old infrastructure to make it accessible. With placards that read “Where is Our Azadi”, they raised concerns about the lethargy of the Central and State governments in not adhering to the statutory accessibility compliance.
“Why has this not been taken up as a priority by the government?” questioned Smitha Sadasivam, a member of the Disability Rights Alliance.
