MCD officials at Shaheedi Park on Friday during an exercise to understand the needs of the disabled.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Friday accompanied a group of visually impaired visitors to the Shaheedi Park here to better understand their needs and to make public places more accessible.
The session was part of a two-day training project titled ‘Making Parks and Gardens Inclusive for All through Universal Design’, which started on Thursday.
It was conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific as well as the Centre for Accessibility in Built Environment (CABE) Foundation.
Officials from the MCD’s horticulture and education departments were divided into groups of six, blindfolded and given wheelchairs as well as walking sticks to stroll around the park.
One participant said the exercise made him realise that some public spaces lack even the most basic needs for disabled visitors.
Subhash Chandra Vashishth, director of CABE Foundation, told The Hindu, “The disability is within our infrastructure as it causes impediments in the lives of disabled people. We need to work on improving our infrastructure immediately.”