Observing non-compliance of accessibility standards in various areas of the newly inaugurated VVIP guest house at Chümoukedima, the court of State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (SCPD) has directed the state government to ensure that the guest house be barrier free and accessible to every citizens.
The court has served three-month deadline to Home Commissioner, Director General of Police, Chief Engineer police project, Chümoukedima to submit Action Taken Report on or before April 29, 2024.
Issuing the order, Disability Commissioner Diethono Nakhro said the Accessibility Audit Inspection team found out non-compliance of accessibility standards in various areas of the building, when the joint team led by herself and representative from Police department Aaron Patton, Comdt 1 NAP Bn, along with the Engineers, Police Project carried out inspection on November 11, 2023. Following the inspection, SCPD has made several recommendations to be followed.
In the first place, SCPD recommended that ramp with hand railings for support must be constructed at the main entrance. All doorways to rooms which serve as common areas, such as the dining room, must be made wider and toilet doorways must be made wider in the common areas so that it will be easily accessible for everyone.
Pointing out that not a single accessible toilet was found available at the building, it recommended an accessible/priority toilet with all necessary fixtures. SCPD recommended that one elevator/lift as per the standards and specifications prescribed under the Guidelines should be considered with maintenance crew.
It also recommended accessible signage and way-finding maps at strategic points, including raised or tactile letters, high contrast colours, and Braille or tactile symbols and at least one room/suite on each floor must be made fully accessible for persons with disabilities by installing all necessary facilities.
SCPD also recommended that the standards as prescribed by the Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India 2021 must be followed and implemented strictly. Meanwhile, on learning that VVIP Guest House at Chümoukedima, has not been officially handed over to the concerned department, the SCPD has directed that all necessary renovations and retrofitting must be carried out to make the entire building barrier free and accessible for all citizens as mandated under the Act before handing over.