No ramp, lift in office meant to aid individuals with disabilities

Visitors claim that the State Commission for Persons with Disabilities has failed to comply with RPWD Act, 2016

- Priyanka Thakur

CHANDIGARH: Meant to provide justice to disabled persons, the office of the State Commission for Persons with Disabilities in Sector 18, which is situated on the first floor, has no facility of lift or ramp. The commission, which has the responsibility to ensure the effective implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016, itself is ignoring Sections 40 and 44 which mandate the accessibility of physical infrastructure to the disabled persons, say visitors.

The RPWD Act, 2016, specifies 21 types of disabilities. Section 44 of the RPWD Act goes on to state that no establishment shall be granted permission to build any structure if the building plan does not adhere to the rules under Section 40 and no establishment shall be issued a certificate of completion or allowed to take occupation of a building unless it has adhered to such rules. In the already built infrastructure, the Act calls for provisions for making it accessible to disabled persons.