Keeping in mind the challenges that disabled persons face while navigating in an urban space, the upcoming Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) has provided facilities that would aid the differently-abled.
“We have considered the needs of the disabled right from the design stage itself at the ground level, entry/exits, escalators, lifts, fare gates, ticket vending machines, tiling on the platform or the signages for their convenience,” HMR MD NVS Reddy told reporters on Thursday.
The Hindu reported that the HMR has ensured a barrier-free environment, beginning from a ramp on the road, to ensuring spacious elevators with hand rails, to accommodate wheelchairs.
Each station has also been provided with a special toilet to aid the physically challenged, the report adds.
Photos posted by the HMR also show that the buttons in the elevator, are encoded with information in Braille script. A tactile strip has also been designed, to guide the visually impaired.
Officials said that the gap between the platform and the train was also minimal.
“Wheelchair-bound passengers will not encounter any problem getting into the train as care is being taken in maintaining the gap between the platform and train floor. Even the blind persons will not run the risk of getting their feet accidentally trapped in the opening between the platform and the train door. Once in, the wheelchairs can be locked to a special ‘grab hold’ in the train in the designated wheelchair spaces,” NVS Reddy was quoted as saying.
Reddy also said that announcements in the Metro would be made in English, Telugu and Urdu.
The 30-km stretch of the Metro Rail from Nagole to Miyapur, is expected to be ready before the Global Entrepreneurship Summit being hosted in the city from November 28 to 30.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be attending the summit, has been invited to inaugurate the HMR.
Billed as the world's biggest metro rail project in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, it was taken up in 2012 at a cost of Rs 14,132 crore.
The original construction period for the 71.16 km elevated metro ended in July this year but the project could not be completed due to various reasons and the developer was granted 17-month extension.
IANS inputs