CHENNAI: The Chennai Metro Rail might just become very easy to use and accessible for the differently abled, if the Disability Rights Alliance (Tamil Nadu) have their way. A group from the cross-disability collective have drawn up a report on the shortcomings of the much-hyped Delhi metro service and submitted it to CMRL Managing Director, K Rajaraman, on Tuesday. “We have been holding dialogue with Chennai Metro at various levels to ensure accessibility features are planned from the project design stage itself. While the initial meeting left us upbeat, it soon became obvious that documents were being received, but very little committed to. Interactions rapidly deteriorated for no conceivable reason and DRA was accused of wanting to be ‘super monitors’ when further information was sought,” said DRA member Vaishnavi Jayakumar.On the advice of the public relations officer, additional inputs on Delhi Metro’s shortcomings were submitted to the CMRL Managing Director to ascertain concrete measures taken towards incorporating accessibility in CMRL’s rollout, Vaishnavi added.Interestingly, the group met the MD and submitted the report after relations between CMRL and DRA soured. In fact, the latter alleged that a CMRL representative bluntly told them that, “CMRL cannot compromise on the provisions made for 99% of the general population for the access of 1%, who are disabled.”She said DRA has sought a progress update on the recommendations that they have submitted so far. She also added that they needed transparency to enable accurate inputs reach the planners. The appointment of an accessibility consultant to ensure there is a seamless flow of information has also been suggested. “We have asked that whatever accessibility features will be present or possible, should be made known to the public,” she added. “We also want the disabled citizens of this State to know what is happening with CMRL by making its website work along the guidelines of government websites. This will make accesibilty easier,” Vaishnavi said.
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