No Mumbai for the disabled as civic works ignore accessibility laws

As Mumbai undergoes one of its largest infrastructure overhauls in recent history persons with disabilities PwDs are struggling to cope with dugup roads and broken footpaths Despite the Rights of Persons with Disabilities RPwD Act 2016mdashmandating accessible infrastructuremdashMumbairsquos streets and public spaces remain largely noncompliant The needs of over four lakh disabled citizens are being sidelined amid chaotic civic workResident Rajesh Ashar at Shimpoli Road where ongoing work has turned Kastur Park in Borivli West into a oneway route causing major disruption PicSatej ShindeUnder Article 21 of the Indian Constitution citizens have the right to safe mobility Yet the concreting of roads across the city especially in South Mumbai has only made life harder for persons with disabilitiesNorthern suburbs Borivli Malad DahisarDev Nagar Derasar Road dug up for drainage work in Borivli West PICSATEJ SHINDE inset barricades haphazardly set up around a dugup road at Eksar Road Borivli West PICDWEEP BANEIn Shimpoli Borivli West ongoing work has turned Kastur Marg into a oneway road creating chaos and long detours Resident Rajesh Ashar said ldquoSenior citizens and PwDs are facing the brunt Traffic snarls and dust pollution are rampant yet workers donrsquot sprinkle water to control it We hope the work finishes before monsoon but that seems unlikelyrdquoMumbairmpsUpDisability rights activist and model Virali Modi with civil platform Jhatkaaorg has launched MumbaiRampsUp demanding inclusion for PwDs Backed by 4300 citizens the campaign urges the BMC and state authorities to make accessibility nonnegotiableldquoYou can make parks accessible but what about roads and footpathsrdquo asks Modi ldquoThis is not just an inconveniencemdashitrsquos a violation of our basic rightsrdquo Modi said ldquoNo more patchwork No more excuses Every space under construction must be made accessible before itrsquos marked complete Mumbai must be rebuilt for everyonerdquoWestern suburbs Bandra AndheriOngoing cement concreting CC work has left residents in Bandra West and Andheri Westmdashespecially the elderly and disabledmdashvirtually trapped in their homesIcelina and Anita FernandesIcelina 75 a Bandra West resident said ldquoThe roads have been dug up since October 2024 Though we allowed BMC to carry out work even at night for quicker completion progress is painfully slow Damaged pipelines and electricity lines have added to our troubles Many senior citizens havenrsquot stepped out in monthsrdquoSenior citizens point out to the dugup stretch outside John Baptist Road in Bandra West PicsShadab KhanLocals reported multiple power cuts lasting 68 hours and a lack of coordination among BMC departments They also flagged severe dust pollution putting children and the elderly at risk Anita Fernandes another Bandra West resident added ldquoThe BMC didnrsquot even remove loose mud after digging They complain about bakery smoke but wonrsquot sprinkle water to control dust Most buildings here house senior citizens over 75 Many havenrsquot been able to visit the hospital church or marketrdquoRobert Sequeira 93 has been homebound for over two months due to inaccessible roads in Bandra West PicShadab KhanWheelchairbound Robert Sequeira 93 has been homebound for over two months due to the civic mess Senior citizen and Bandra West resident Jessie Gracias said ldquoI have walking difficulties post an accident With the road outside my building being dug up for over twoandahalf months I was unable to go out of the house as we could not take the car out nor get a rickshaw in The condition of the roads under construction outside my place also made it impossible for me to walk to the main road I was thus stuck at home for almost 3 monthsrdquoSouth Mumbai Colaba Cuffe Parade Charni RoadRoadwork in progress at Sukhatwala Lane Fort Mumbai on April 5 PicATUL KAMBLERaju Waghmare 46 a visually impaired activist from Airoli who commutes daily to JJ Hospital said ldquoNavigating the city is a nightmare during roadwork There are no signs or physical indicators for us Something as simple as poles tied with rope at dugup patches would help Sound indicators would be ideal but they require resourcesrdquoA senior citizen walks along 1st Pasta Lane which is under construction in ColabaJayshree Jadhav 64 who uses a wheelchair and runs a phone booth in Gamdevi said ldquoWhen the road outside my shop was dug up I had to wait 30 minutes until a stranger helped me cross My son had to accompany me daily It shouldnrsquot be this hardrdquoRaju WaghmareEastern suburbs Mulund Ghatkopar ChemburOver 3000 residents of Yogi Hills Mulund rely on a single access road now narrowed due to civic work inset Bharat Soni Secretary of the Hillside Residents Welfare Association MulundIn Yogi Hills Mulund over 3000 residents rely on a single access roadmdashnow halved due to CC work With footpaths dug up and heavy construction vehicles passing even schoolchildren and senior citizens are at riskFootpaths and roads in Yogi Hills Mulund have been dug up putting schoolchildren and seniors at risk PicsBharat SonildquoThis stretch is used by BEST buses school vans and construction vehicles A mishap is just waiting to happenrdquo said Bharat J Soni secretary of the Hillside Residents Welfare AssociationThe only access road to Yogi Hills Mulund has been partially blocked due to ongoing concreting workThe campaign calls forpoundAccessible design standards in all road and footpath projectspoundUniversal access in public buildings and transit hubspoundBarrierfree transport optionspoundInclusion of PwDs in planning processespoundRegular audits and timebound implementationatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params