8/16/2021 Test run for differently abled shows road blocks on widened footpaths - The Times Of India - Mumbai, 8/16/2021 https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/PrintArticle.aspx?doc=T OIM%2F2021%2F08%2F16&entity=ar00613&ts=202108160029. 1/2 Test run for differently abled shows road blocks on widened footpaths nitasha.n...@timesgroup.com Mumbai: What happens when a footpath is widened for universal accessibility? Fifteen differently abled individuals, who carried out a test run of one such stretch in Vile Parle on Sunday, found illegally parked motorcycles and a hawker with his wares on the footpath. Participants of the test run, who included wheelchairbound sportspersons, unanimously said planning accessible spaces in the city will work only if they are kept encroachment-free. The 400-metre stretch of Vile Parle's Nehru Road was transformed with wide footpaths, tactile indicators and kerb ramps after an activist with cerebral palsy, Jasmina Khanna, doggedly pursued BMC. Khanna, who organised Sunday's test run with her physiotherapist, Sanket Khadilkar, said they wanted to find out if differently abled individuals faced problems using the stretch and how things could be improved for future projects. "When it comes to accessible streets, Delhi trumps Mumbai. Footpaths leading up to bus-stops and Metro stations are disabled friendly as are most public buses. I travel independently in public transport for sporting events in Delhi. But in Mumbai, I cannot dream of doing the same," said Rahul Ramugade, captain of Mumbai Wheelchair Cricket Team and a test run participant. Ramugade spotted delivery bikes belonging to a pizza outlet parked all over the footpath and had a talk with the store manager. "They had encroached upon the footpath despite having alternative parking arrangements. While staff removed the bikes in our presence, we cannot be sure if they will stay off the footpath permanently," he said. A customer at a paan stall had parked his motorcycle on the footpath and a hawker was selling his wares. "The hawker was partially blind and when we explained the purpose of our test run, he immediately agreed to move away," said another participant. Besides those on wheelchairs, there were amputees and individuals using crutches at the test run. Rupa Raman, who wheeled her brother, Ranjan, on the accessible footpath, said the civic authorities need to fix gaps in manhole covers as wheelchairs were getting stuck in them. Ranjan, a musician, lives with cerebral palsy and has to travel in his own vehicle as buses and trains are inaccessible. Another participant suggested that a bumpy portion of road before getting onto the footpath should also be fixed to prevent injury to wheelchair-bound users. "When you design a disabled-friendly stretch, it automatically works for every other road user, whether senior citizens, pregnant women or someone with an injury. Through the test run, we also wanted to sensitise the community about accessibility needs of the disabled. Some pedestrians gathered to watch the participants and we spoke to them to create awareness on the issue," said Khadilkar. 8/16/2021 Test run for differently abled shows road blocks on widened footpaths - The Times Of India - Mumbai, 8/16/2021 https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/PrintArticle.aspx?doc=T OIM%2F2021%2F08%2F16&entity=ar00613&ts=202108160029. 2/2 The test run at a 400-metre stretch of Vile Parle's Nehru Road
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