HANDBOOK ON BARRIER FREE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

Transcription

1 HANDBOOK ON BARRIER FREE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

2 T ABLE OF CONTENTS Handbook on Accessible Pedestrian Infrastructure for Inclusive Urban Transport Systems Handbook on Accessible Pedestrian Infrastructure for Inclusive Urban Transport Systems

3 HANDBOOK ON ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INCLUSIVE URBAN TRANSPORT SYSTEMS All travelers begin and end their trips essentially as pedestrians. Therefore, for a safe, stress-free & successful trip, the street systems, parking areas and terminal facilities must be accessible to all pedestrians, including people using mobility devices such as wheelchairs and scooters, those who have vision impairments or speech and hearing impairments or those with intellectual disabilities. The ease with which travelers can use competing methods of transport comfortably, conveniently, and safely influences their choice of mode of transportation. Also for people with disabilities, good pedestrian design from doorstep of origin to the doorstep of the destination is essential. Planning Sidewalks / Pedestrian Pathways We are all pedestrians. Walking is a basic and common mode of transport in all societies around the world with benefits to health and the environment. Virtually every trip begins and ends with walking. Walking comprises the sole means of travel on some journeys, whether a long trip or a short stroll to a shop. Therefore, sidewalks are critical to mobility & usability of the transportation networks. In the absence of sidewalks or the sidewalks being inaccessible, pedestrians are forced to share the street with motorists which enhances the incidence of pedestrian collisions, injuries, disablement and deaths. Absence of sidewalks also drastically restricts access to public transportation especially for those with reduced mobility* *Reduced mobility: A state when the mobility of a person is reduced when using built physical environment or transportation systems due to age or any disability such as impairment of vision, hearing, sight or walking or an intellectual impairment. A child, an expecting mother, a traveler with heavy luggage, an old person walking with help of a stick, a deaf, blind or a person on a wheelchair can all be people with reduced mobility Therefore, the needs of persons with physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities should be included at the planning and design stage of infrastructural projects, rather than after a project has been completed. A pedestrian is any person who is travelling by walking for at least part of his or her journey. In addition to the ordinary form of walking, a pedestrian may be using various modifications and aids to walking such as wheelchairs, motorized scooters, walkers, canes, skateboards, and roller blades. The person may carry items of varying quantities, held in hands, strapped on the back, placed on the head, balanced on shoulders, or pushed/pulled along. A person is also considered a pedestrian when running, jogging, hiking, or when sitting or lying down in the roadway. (WHO s Manual on Pedestrian Safety)

4 LEGAL MECHANISM IN FAVOUR OF PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE (INDIA) 1. National Urban Transport Policy 2006: Bringing about a more equitable allocation of road space with people, rather than vehicles, as its main focus. It encourages greater use of public transport and non-motorized modes by offering Central financial assistance for this purpose and focuses on enabling the establishment of quality focused multi-modal public transport systems that are well integrated, providing seamless travel across modes. 2. Indian Road Congress (IRC) Guidelines for Pedestrian and Cycle track design provide basic standards for pedestrian and cycle oriented design. The design and engineering guidelines are currently being revised and updated. 3. Other domestic laws that converge to safeguard the safety of pedestrians: Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989 provide passive protection for pedestrians, stating that motorists cannot enter pedestrian way and are liable to penalty. Indian Penal Code (sec 283), sec 34 of Delhi Police Act makes Obstruction in public space punishable. Urban Street Vendor Policy, 2007, to protect livelihood rights recommend Guidelines for proper vending zones, as they are service providers on sidewalks. The National Policy on Urban Street Vendors, 2009, approved by the Central government, recognizes street vendors (or microentrepreneurs) as an integral and legitimate part of the urban retail trade and distribution system. The national policy gives street vendors a legal status and aims at providing legitimate vending/ hawking zones in city/town master or development plans. The Police Act even provides for penalty for jaywalking. Persons with Disabilities Act 1995 (Sec 44) recommends guidelines for the non discrimination in built environment for Persons with Disabilities. 4. Master Plan of Delhi 2021 specifies: All roads should be made pedestrian, disabled and bicycle friendly. Provision of adequate pedestrian facilities. Removal of encroachments from sidewalks. Provision for introducing cycle tracks. SIDES WALKS AND NON MOTORIZED TRANSPORT (NMT) ZONES ALSO A PART OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Sidewalks and Cycle Lanes should be regarded as a transportation system which is connected and continuous, just like roadways and railways. 1. General Guidelines Avoid sidewalk interruptions by minimizing kerb cuts i.e. Minimize the number of driveways that cross the sidewalk in order to support pedestrian safety and a continuous sidewalk. Maintain an even surface and elevation of the pavement at 150 mm or less from surrounding road level. At entry points of properties introduce raised driveway or tabletop details where pedestrian and cycle tracks continue at their same level, but the motorized vehicles have to move over a gentle ramp to enter the property. Remove all obstructions from the sidewalks. Consistency of design elements, color and texture, help provide visual continuity and calm traffic, even at crossings. All street infrastructure (such as poles, posts, hoardings, directional signages, plantations, cycle parking, seating benches etc) should be aligned in a way that it leaves clear obstruction free sidewalk of 1800 mm minimum and 2400 mm vertical space. 2. Sidewalks Guidelines- Continuous pavements with minimum clearing walking zones of 1800 mm width for one way movement in Residential areas and 2400 mm (commercial/mixed Use streets), 4000 mm (commercial nodes) for two way barrier free movement of NMT/ Persons with disabilities. Minimum 2400 mm clear height free of obstructions like tree branches, advertisement panels, posts, poles, junction boxes, public utility structure etc). To have Non-Slip floor surface & should be along the entire length of the road. Have well defined edges of paths and routes by use of different textures & contrasting colours mandated by IRC & UTTIPEC Guidelines on kerb markings (eg. yellow lines and shades of white and black for kerb); Tactile Guiding blocks for vision impaired and warning blocks next to all entry and exit points from the walkway and level or direction changes. Max. pavement height including kerb, walking surface, top of paving etc not to exceed 150 mm. For arterial roads it should not exceed 100 mm. Kerb Cuts at zebra crossings and intersections. Tactile paving (warning & guiding blocks) before & after level change, next to all entry & exit points from the pathway. Road signs should stay clear of pedestrian sidewalk. (NDMC Area, Delhi) A wrong placement of signage on the sidewalk can render the use of sidewalk impossible (Satguru Ram Singh Marg, West Delhi) At entry points of residences/ properties along the road, provide raised drive-way or table top (pedestrians/nmt continue on same level while motorized vehicles move over a gentle ramp to enter the property. Consistency in design elements, color/texture. Height of sidewalks varying from 200 mm to 600 mm often discourages pedestrian use. (August Krant Marg, Delhi) Pedestrian at-grade crossings must be level, continuous & clear of all obstructions such as signage, poles etc. (Satguru Ramsingh Marg)

5 Bus Shelters with bill boards placed on sidewalks are a menace to pedestrian accessibility and safety in Delhi. Street infrastructure such as poles & utility boxes above must be moved to Multi Functional Zone to allow unobstructed safe pedestrian movement. Placement of tactile pavers is also wrong as it leave no space to maneuver & leads the user in to pole. 3 Multi-Functional Zones MFZ should be provided on a street and should be a minimum of 1800 mm wide and may locate any or all of the following functions within them: Tree planting, planting for storm water management, auto-rickshaw stands, cycle- rickshaw stands; hawker zones; car parking; street furniture; bus stops, traffic police booths, Telephone / Junction boxes, Fire Hydrants, street lights/ pedestrian lights etc. This also works as a buffer zone between the pedestrians and vehicular traffic. 4 Tree pits / grates: 1800 mm x 1800 mm tree pit should be left for tree roots to breathe as per the Hon ble Delhi High Court Order. Permeable pavers or tree grates should be placed over the pit in busy pedestrian streets so people can walk over the pit. Trees must be pruned up regularly in order to maintain visual clearance for pedestrians (2400 mm clear vertical zone). Under no circumstances, trees be placed within the 1800 mm clear horizontal walking zone. Tree planning and lighting plan be prepared in conjunction so as to not obstruct each other. KERB RAMPS Kerb ramps provide pedestrian access between the sidewalk and roadway for people using wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, crutches, handcarts, bicycles, and pedestrians who have trouble stepping up and down high kerbs. The absence of kerb ramps prevents any of the above users from crossing streets. Kerb ramps must be installed at all intersections and midblock locations where pedestrian crossings exist. Kerb Design Guidelines: Standard kerb ramps are cut back into the footpath (flush with roadway), at a gradient no greater than 1:12, with flared sides (1:10) providing transition in three directions. Width of the kerb ramp should not be less than 1200 mm. Tactile warning strip to be provided on the kerb side edge of the slope, so that persons with vision impairment do not accidentally walk onto the road. The ramps should be flared smooth into the street surface and checked periodically to make sure large gaps do not develop between the gutter and street surface. It is desirable to provide two kerb cuts per corner. Single ramp located in the center of a corner is less desirable. Separate ramps provide greater information to pedestrians with vision impairment in street crossings. Mid block crossings accessible for persons with disability should be provided for blocks longer than 250M. The right gradient image of a typical kerb ramp. Poles, plantation etc aligned to make room for continuous unobstructed sidewalk, Washington DC, USA. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalks, Washington DC, USA. Pre-cast Cement Concrete Tree Grate (source: UTTIPEC street design guidelines.)

6 Raised drive-way / Table Top Crossings At Non-Signalized Crossings, Raised Table-top Crossings must be used. Table Top Design Guidelines: Raised crossings bring the level of the roadway to that of the sidewalk, forcing vehicles to slow down before passing over the crossing and enhancing the crossing by providing a level pedestrian path of travel from kerb to kerb. Cobble stone are not recommended on the top, but on the slopes. Raised Crossings also increase visibility of pedestrians and physically slow down traffic allowing pedestrians to cross safely. Raised crossings should be located at: - At slip roads (free left turns) - Where high-volume streets intersect with low-volume streets, such as at alley entrances, neighborhood residential streets, and service lanes of multi-way boulevards. - At Mid-Block Crossings Raised Table Top Design (Source: Institute of Transportation Engineers, USA). TACTILE PAVING FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEDESTRIANS Persons with vision impairment need guidance in using pedestrian infrastructure, especially if the footpath crosses larger open spaces where the usual guidance given by the edge of the footpath or building base is not available, or when pedestrians need guidance around obstacles. A continuous tactile guide (guiding & warning tile) in the direction of pedestrian travel, which has a different texture to the rest of the footway, can provide this guidance. Tactile Paving Design Guidelines: Maintain a distance of mm from the edge of footpath/ boundary wall / any obstruction. A height of about 5mm for the raised part of the surface is sufficient for almost all persons with vision impairment to detect, without causing too much discomfort for other pedestrians. Tactile paving must be maintained to ensure that the profile does not erode away. Vitrified non-glazed tactile pavers are preferable. Tactile tiles should have a colour (preferably canary yellow), which contrasts with the surrounding surface. Tactile Paving should be minimum 300mm wide so that someone can t miss it by stepping over it. Typical placement of tactile pavers (guiding and warning blocks) in pedestrian infrastructure. Raised Table Top provides continuity of sidewalk to pedestrians (Sarojini Nagar, NDMC Area, Delhi, India.) Where to provide tactile pavers? To lead persons with vision impairments to the lifts, crossings, toilets, bus stops, traffic signals i.e. all public and road facilities. In front of an area where traffic is present. In front of an entrance/exit to a facility like subway/fob/ public utility. To and from a staircase or multi-level crossing facility. In open space to orient persons with vision impairment. Guiding Block indicates go. Warning Block indicates caution.

7 AUDITORY SIGNALS Audible crossing signals (pelican crossings) for visually impaired at every intersection (A staccato noise consists of a series of short, sharp, separate sounds) help everyone and particularly who rely more on auditory signs due to vision impairments. Pelican crossings with kerb ramp on an Intersection, Washington, USA Auditory signal Design Guidelines Pedestrian traffic lights should be provided with clearly audible signals to facilitate safe and independent crossing of pedestrians with low vision and vision impairment. Acoustic devices should be installed on a pole at the point of origin of crossing and not at the point of destination. Tactile paving should be provided in the line of travel avoiding obstructions such as manholes/tree guards/lamp posts etc. All traffic signals should have red & green man symbols and auditory signals. All signage should be graphic or symbol based, rather than text based. PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS Key considerations: Since Pedestrians must be given the shortest possible direct route to cross the street, the most preferred Crossing for them is at-grade. Mid Block Crossings must be provided for people to cross the street safely between building entries or bus stop locations or active land uses on opposite sides of the street. Mid-block crossings may be provided with pedestrian operated signals and table top crossings. At-grade Pedestrian crossings must be provided at all T-junctions. Grade separated crossings could be provided on highways. Median / Refuge Islands are a must on streets wider than 24 Mtrs. Minimum width of a pedestrian refuge island at a crossing is 1200 mm enough to accommodate a wheelchair or strolley. Bollards must be used to prevent vehicular U- Turns on the medians. Trees, street furniture, parked cars, etc. must not obstruct visibility and the pedestrians should be able to see, and be seen by, approaching traffic. Crossings should be located away from conflict points so that drivers are aware of the crossing and are able to react and, if necessary, brake in time. When crossings are needed on the approaches to roundabouts, Zebras are preferred as they avoid any confusion over priority from signal controlled crossings for drivers approaching the roundabout GIVE WAY line Use of pedestrian guard railing both to guide pedestrians and prevent indiscriminate crossing of the carriageway should be considered. At road intersections, pedestrian crossings should be equipped with traffic control signs. For the benefit of blind or partially sighted people audible signals, bleeper, and/or tactile signals which indicate when the green light is displayed and it is safe to cross should be provided. Guide strips should be constructed to indicate the position of pedestrian crossing to benefit Visually impaired pedestrians. The time interval allowed for crossing should be programmed according to the slowest crossing persons. Beepers/Acoustic devices should be installed at the point of origin and not destination. Two adjacent beepers may disorient the users hence that should be avoided. Often pedestrian crossings/walkways are not planned on grade separators making it extremely difficult for pedestrians and those with disabilities. This must be addressed with suitable walkways & accessible crossings. Good practice - Street Junction (Washington DC). Good practice of Street Crossing (Singapore) TRAFFIC ISLANDS/ PEDESTRIAN REFUGE ISLANDS The distance required to cross a street and the length of time that a pedestrian is exposed to traffic can be shortened with curb extensions and crossing islands. Curb extensions, also known as curb bulbs or bulb-outs, reduces the distance pedestrians must walk in the street, while crossing islands also simplify a crossing by breaking it into two pieces. They should be level and wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and group of people. Pedestriian Refuge Island Pedestriian Refuge Island

8 SUBWAY AND OVERHEAD BRIDGE Subways and overhead bridges become necessary where at-grade crossings may not be feasible due to heavy volume of traffic. These should be accessible for people with disabilities. Key considerations: Subways and overhead bridges should be accessible to all. Make provision of slope ramps or lifts at both the ends of the sub-way/ overhead bridge to enable wheelchair accessibility. Lift to access a footover bridge in Hong Kong. Consider footover bridge only when at-grade crossing in not feasible. An accessible pedestrian subway in Delhi (outside view). One of the new footover bridges that have been constructed in Delhi. Walkway width to be minimum 1800 mm or more. Provision of tactile guiding and warning blocks along the length of the walkway. Keeping the walkway free from any obstructions and projections. Providing for seats for people with ambulatory disabilities at regular intervals along the walkway and at landings. Pedestrian subway with ramp in Japan. Consider subway only when at-grade crossing or footover bridges are not feasible. Note the continuous handrails at two levels for staircase as well as for ramp. An accessible pedestrian subway in Delhi (inside view). The footover bridge is however obstructed by a railing which renders it unusable by wheelchair users as well. Continuity of sidewalk has also been compromised. SIGNAGE Signage includes direction signs, signs of locality, street names and numbering, information signs, etc. The main purpose of signage is to provide clear designation of places, warning and routing information. Symbols should be displayed at various facilities for people with disabilities such as lifts, entrances, telephone booths, toilets, car parks and the like. The symbol of access should be permanently and conspicuously displayed to indicate the location of various facilities in the building / built infrastructure. The art of designing signs and signage is rapidly evolving. It is worth considering the following issues: Universal signage helps to overcome language barriers. Make clear distinctions between signs that offer directions and those that indicate arrival. The design of signs should allow for contrasting colours, serif-free text, simple and consistent use of symbols and the provision of tactile information, including Braille. This is particularly useful for those with vision and learning disabilities. A good pictorial symbol depends on simplicity, legibility and good recognition/familiar factor. Contrasting the text & symbols with the panel allows the sign to be more easily read. All types of signs should be visible, clear, simple, easy to read and understand, and properly lit particularly at night. In general, signs should not be placed behind glass because of possible reflection. Signages placed on the pedestrian path of travel are considered obstructions; thus, they should be detectable and be clear of the path of travel. On roads they should be placed in Multi Functional Zones aligned with other street infrastructure. Signs need to be carefully located so as to help people throughout their journey by providing information at junctions or in long passageways. The use of voice activated signs may need to be considered. The height of the sign should be lower rather than higher as there is no perfect height for all. As people vary in stature, and other people passing by may obscure what is visible to a person who uses a wheelchair. International symbol of accessibility Accessible spaces and facilities should be identified by the international symbol of accessibility. The wheelchair figure should always be seen and drawn facing right. Accessible entrances should be clearly identified using the international symbol of accessibility including alternate locations of accessible entrances. A Large Tactile Floor Plan at one of the entrances to the terminal building at Ciampino Airport in Rome, Italy. Note the use of an easily understandable type font combined with the high contrast between white characters and blue background the presentation of information in three different languages: Italian, English and Braille and, finally, the panel is mounted at a convenient height and angle. Photo courtesy CJ Walsh Tactile map of a building at the entrance for orientation of visually impaired visitors in an institution building.

9 Room Signs (used on the doors of buildings, offices, public toilets, etc) Signs should be installed on the wall adjacent to the latch side or door handle side of the door at a height of 1500 mm from the finished floor to the centre line of the sign. Where there is no wall space to the latch side of the door, signs shall be placed on the nearest adjacent wall. The room nameplate in Braille should be incorporated into the signage at an approximate height of 1300 mm from the floor level. Signage, nameplates and numbers of room should be in braille & raised alphabets, bold & colour contrasted with their background. Metal signage should be avoided as it produces glare. The room signs should also incorporate braille signs. Fig. Colour Combination for Signage Fig. Character height Signage fonts should: Be clear with Sans serif typeface Be in lower and upper case Be left justified Embossed with Braille and Braille locators Non glare Character height Characters and numbers on signs should be sized according to the viewing distance from which they are to be read. The smallest letter type should never be less than 15 mm. Viewing Distance Up to 7 meters 7 8 meters Above 8 meters Size of signs 60 mm x 60 mm 100 mm x 100 mm 200 mm x 200 mm to 450mm x 450mm Braille sign on handrail Emergency Alarm sign with braille Finish & Contrast The characters and background shall be matte or other non-glare finish. Characters and symbols should contrast with their background. The commonly employed colours are white for the figure and blue for the background. The color combinations red/green and yellow/blue should not be used in order to avoid confusing color-blind persons Some Good practices for Signs Emergency evacuation & Signage for Area of Rescue Assistance

10 LIFTS / ELEVATORS/ TRAVELATORS Lifts where provided to ensure a continuous accessible subway or overhead bridge should have all accessibility features: Lifts should be minimum 1400mm x 1400mm in size with clear door opening of 900 mm. All lifts should have Braille buttons and audio announcement systems. All lift control should not be higher than 1200 mm and not lower than 500 mm. Inclined Travelators must be in the gradient of 1:18 and should have handrails to hold with sufficient signage. Accessible Toilet Facilities alongside Pedestrian Infrastructure Accessible toilets need to be designed & developed to address the requirements of people with a variety of impairments. Where space is restricted, rather than trying to squeeze in both disabled and non-disabled facilities, an accessible cubicle could be provided for use by everyone. The support of personal assistants should also be considered. You need accessible toilets which: - are fully equipped for use by persons with disabilities - meet the ideal standard dimensions of 2000 mm x 2200 mm long. (Cubicles with more generous proportions are easier to use especially by people using large models of electric wheelchair) are easy to locate and with clear signpost are designed to enable personal assistants of either sex to enter have outward opening doors (if inward opening doors are fitted, they must have two-way hinges for emergency access) have a baby/child changing facility available to a parent of either sex at a suitable flexible height for use by parents who may be walking or using wheelchair (if in a public area) open onto a private area or toilet/washroom have an emergency assistance alarm fitted (including a visual fire alarm if required) Within male and female toilet blocks designed for use by ambulant disabled people and non-disabled people, you need some cubicles with: suitable grab rails an outward opening door sufficient dimensions (800mm wide x 1,500mm deep) It is important that accessible toilets do not open immediately onto a public area as this can be hazardous to visually impaired people, and can cause embarrassment should the door need to be opened to provide assistance to the user. In larger buildings left and right hand toilet transfer positions should be allowed for. If other facilities are provided such as baby-changing facilities, showers or first aid access needs to be provided to both the space and the equipment. Subways and Foot-over bridges must be connected ideally by an inclined travelator or slope ramps in a gradient of 1:18 / or have accessible lifts / elevators. Inclined travelator at IGI Airport, New Delhi. Low height wash basin & Low height urinals cater to children as well as people of short stature. Additionally if grab bars are also provided this becomes very user friendly to those who walk with mobility aids such as crutches. In Hong Kong most of side-walks are elevated and are serviced by Accessible elevators and Stairs/Escalators. Inclined travelator at IGI Airport, New Delhi (top view). A sample Public Toilet Unit Layout that includes an accessible independent unit in the PTU.

11 Access for Visually Impaired Visitors in the Toilets The inclusion of certain features in the unisex accessible toilets will make it accessible to the visually impaired visitors as well. The four key considerations of blind persons when using special facilities Safety & Hygiene Self-assistance Minimal influence with other users. - Pasting of braille strips on the walls above the amenities provided will greatly help the visually impaired visitor in identifying the location and presence of the same. LEGENDS Wrong Practices. Good / Preferred Practices ABBREVIATIONS USED ADA American Disability Act FOB Foot-over Bridge IRC Indian Road Congress mm Millimeter NDMC New Delhi Municipal Corporation PWD Person with Disability CPWD Central Public Works Department CCPD Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities UNCRPD United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities UTTIPEC Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning Engineering) Centre Pasting of braille strips above the amenities helps visually impaired in orientation REFERENCES 1. Pedestrian Safety - A Road Safety Manual for Decision-makers and Practitioners (WHO) 2. Street Design Guidelines UTTIPEC 3. National Urban Transport Policy, IRC Guidelines for Pedestrian and Cycle Track Design 5. Master plan of Delhi, Best Practices in Inclusive Environments compiled by Svayam National Centre for Inclusive Environments

12 Infrastructure is one of the key drivers of any economy. If the infrastructure is inclusive, everyone including the elderly and disabled gets an opportunity to be an equal participant in social, economic and cultural fabric of their communities. In the recent years, due to the legal mandate and defined policies, efforts have been made to provide an accessible and barrier-free environment to persons with disabilities so that they can lead an independent and life of dignity. ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT & MOBILITY GLOBAL PRACTICES AND GROUND REALITY ANALYSIS However, if one looks at the larger picture, lots of gaps still remain. There is a need for effective sensitization of the last rung person implementing the projects to ensure equitable access to all. The harmonizing of accessibility standards/ guidelines by the Ministry of Urban Development, Govt. of India is a step in the right direction which once implemented and followed in right spirit would essentially go a long way in promoting accessibility in our country in the years ahead. In the following pages efforts have been made to undertake a comparative analysis of ground reality viz a viz global best practices, available national guidelines & policies on urban transport.

13 TRANSPORT & ROAD PLANNING Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India 1 SIDEWALKS Non-Slip, width depending on location and usage ranging from minimum 1800 mm for one way movement and 2400 mm to 3600 mm for two way movements. Tactile Guiding blocks for vision impaired. Max Kerb height 150 mm preferable 100 mm. Kerb Cuts at zebra crossings and interjections. Tactile warning blocks before and after level change, next to all entry and exit points from the pathway. All street furniture aligned so as to provide clear 1500 wide pedestrian walkway. Sidewalks should: Have non-slip floor surface. Be along the entire length of the road. Be at least 1500 mm wide. Have guiding blocks for people with visual impairments. Be fitted with visual signs and tactile dues (e.g., Braille blocks) as route finders. Preferably have well defined edges of paths and routes by use of different colors and textures. Have no obstacles or projections along the pathway. If this is unavoidable, there should be clear headroom of at least 2000 mm from the floor level. Have curb cuts where-ever a person is expected to walk into or off the pathway Have warning blocks installed next to all entry and exit points from the pathway. Sidewalks from homes to nearest pick up points/ bus q shelter / metro are critical factors to ensure that people prefer public transport system over private vehicles. Sidewalks in Delhi are inaccessible and are often found built on drainage with open manholes and do not provide continuity. Manhole bollards & absence of kerb ramp make this crossing inaccessible at August Kranti Marg, Delhi ADA compliant continuous sidewalks in USA. ADA compliant kerb ramps in USA. Uttipec s Street Design Guidelines Minimum clear walking zone: 1800 mm width. Minimum 2400 mm clear height: free of obstructions like tree branches, advertisement panels, posts, poles, junction boxes, public utility structure etc. Walking zone width as per land use: mm for residential areas mm for commercial / mixed use streets mm for commercial nodes. Max. pavement height including kerb, walking surface, top of paving etc not to exceed 150 mm. For arterial roads it should not exceed 100 mm. Continuous pavements for barrier free movement of Non Motorized Tpt / Persons with disabilities. At entry points of residences / properties along the road, provide raised drive-way or table top (pedestrians / NMT continue on same level while motorized vehicles move over a gentle ramp to enter the property. Consistency in design elements, color / texture. Width of the side walk not maintained uniformly to provide continuity. (Bhikaiji Cama Place, New Delhi) No agency adheres to mandatory nonslippery and non glary floor surface. Sidewalks are obstructed due to street infrastructure. By and large kerb cuts are missing from the sidewalks (except the BRT Corridor). Tactile guiding blocks and warning blocks are not incorporated on the sidewalks. Wherever some attempts have been made, the guiding blocks provided to orient visually impaired lead people in to trees, poles and other obstructions. In Hong Kong most of side-walks are elevated and are serviced by elevators and escalators. Height of sidewalks varying from 200 mm to 600 mm that often discourages pedestrian to climb them up. (August Kranti Marg, Delhi) Raised Driveways have been attempted by NDMC but they lack obstruction free continuity and minimum width.

14 Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India 2. KERB RAMP AT WALKWAY AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSING The right gradient and picture of a typical kerb ramp Kerb Ramps are provided where the vertical rise is less than 150 mm. should have a slip-resistant surface; should be designed not to allow water accumulating on the walking surface. do not require handrails. should not project into the road surface. should be located or protected to prevent obstruction by parked vehicles. should be free from any obstruction such as signposts, traffic lights, etc. The gradient of a curb ramp should not be steeper than 1:10. Width of Kerb Ramp should not be less than 900 mm. Elevated sidewalks can be a boon in busy areas where level crossing adversely affects the traffic speeds like Old Delhi area or busy traffic junctions. Mumbai has begun to provide elevated sidewalk (called SKY WALK) (first inaugurated in 2008), however these are not accessible due to absence of elevators. There are no kerb ramps in MCD and Delhi Cantonment area in Delhi. Only in BRT corridor, kerb cuts have been provided (level crossings on BRT corridor at Chirag Dilli below). There are no kerb ramps at crossings or intersections. 3. ROAD INTERSECTIONS/ REQUEST CROSSINGS Pelican crossings (request crossing at zebra crossings) (picture below from Washington, USA showing kerb cuts and pelican crossing) Auditory signals for visually impaired at every intersection. Properly marked zebra crossings All zebra crossings are so marked which discourages people diagonal crossing. Proper laying of tactile guiding and warning blocks to orient visually impaired users. Kerb ramps should have flared sides where pedestrians are likely to walk across them and the gradient of the flared side should not be steeper than 1:10. Kerb ramp at pedestrian crossing should be wholly contained in the area designated for pedestrians use. Road Intersections Pedestrian crossings should be equipped with traffic control signals. Constructing traffic islands to reduce the length of the crossing is recommended for the safety of all road users. Guide strips should be constructed to indicate the position of pedestrian crossings for the benefit of people with visual disabilities. UTTIPEC s Street Guidelines Raised table top crossings All slip road pedestrians crossings; all non-signalized intersection and mid block intersections should be raised to match the level of the connected footpath (150 mm top of kerb). Auditory signals: All traffic signals should have red & green man symbols and auditory signals. All signage should be graphic or symbol based, rather than text based. The kerb on the zebra crossing render the crossing inaccessible (August Kranti Marg kerb is lowered bus still is a barrier)leading people to J-walk and Delhi Cantt (no kerb cut at all) Sidewalks abruptly end at each intersection without slope ramps. The adjacent image of kerb ramp by CPWD guideline wrongly depicts the flared side. Ref. best practices for right gradient. Barring a few numbered pelican crossing in NDMC area, there are no request crossings in Delhi. Even on request crossings the kerbs continue to pose barriers. Auditory signals are missing at all intersections/ crossings. Zebra crossing is absent and wherever these are provided, these are not maintained (fading away). Kerb cuts are missing at all crossings/ intersections except BRT corridor. No warning and guiding blocks at most intersections. Wherever it is provided, they lead the person in to danger zones and not properly aligned.

15 Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India 4. TRAFFIC ISLANDS Traffic Island in newyork above The distance required to cross a street and the length of time that a pedestrian is exposed to traffic can be shortened with curb extensions and crossing islands. Curb extensions, also known as curb bulbs or bulb-outs, reduce the distance pedestrians must walk in the street, while crossing islands also simplify a crossing by breaking it into two pieces. They should be level and wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and group of people. Islands (CCPD) Raised islands in crossings should: Be cut through and level with the street Have curb ramps, at both the sides and have a level area of not less then 1500 mm long in the middle. A colored tactile marking strip at least 600 mm wide should mark the beginning and the end of a traffic island, to guide pedestrians with impaired vision to its location. UTTIPEC s Street Design Guidelines Median / Refuge Islands are a must on streets wider than 24 Mtrs. Minimum width of a pedestrian refuge island at a crossing is 1200 mm enough to accommodate a wheelchair or strolley. Bollards must be used to prevent vehicular U- Turns. There are no accessible traffic islands to help people cross the wider roads in Delhi. In new developments, often a kerb of 100 mm is kept on the islands, whereas it renders the islands inaccessible to those with reduced mobility. There are no islands on arterial roads (above) and pedestrians/cyclists risk their lives 5. TRAFFIC SIGNAL Traffic signals are at two levels to cater to motorists and pedestrians Auditory signals for visually impaired at every intersection (Staccato noise): A staccato noise consists of a series of short, sharp, separate sounds.) (Washington & Germany) Pedestrian traffic lights should be provided with clearly audible signals for the benefit of pedestrians with visual impairments. Acoustic devices should be installed on a pole at the point of origin of crossing and not at the point of destination. The installation of two adjacent acoustic devices such as beepers is not recommended in order to avoid disorientation. The time interval allowed for crossing should be programmed according to the slowest crossing persons. Acoustical signals encourage safer crossing behavior among children as well. Signage & Traffic lights are obstructed by bill boards & unipoles. (below near Sarojini Nagar, Ring Road) Traffic lights are not audio enabled. In absence of smart lights, the lights turn green for the traffic while the pedestrians are still crossing the road. The above median at Bhikaiji Cama Place is obstructed by street infrastructure, bollards and has a kerb of 60 mm

16 Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India 6. SUBWAYS & OVERHEAD BRIDGES Pedestrian crossings other than at-grade must have a combination of either Staircase + Ramp or Staircase + Elevator for universal accessibility. Tactile paving/tiles and a colour contrast should be provided at the top and bottom of the flight of steps and these areas should be well lit. Subways and Foot-over bridges must be connected ideally by an inclined travelator or slope ramps in a gradient of 1:18 / or have accessible lifts / elevators. Guiding and warning blocks must be provided at all level changes. Surface should be non slip and non glary. Subways and overhead bridges should be accessible for people with disabilities. This may be achieved by: Provision of slope ramps or lifts at both the ends to enable wheelchair accessibilit. Ensuring that the walkway is at least 1500 mm wide. Provision of tactile guiding and warning blocks along the length of the walkway. Keeping the walkway free from any obstructions and projections. Providing for seats for people with ambulatory disabilities at regular intervals along the walkway and at landings. UTTIPEC Guidelines At-Grade crossings are the thumb rule. If it is not possible, then foot over bridges with accessibility features such as lift needs to be provided. Where foot over bridge is not feasible, then only sub-ways may be considered. Subways should be accessible by ramp/ lift to allow ease of use by wheelchair users. Most Delhi- subways are not accessible due to stepped access. However, new attempts are examples that can be emulated for ramped access in all sub-ways (Besides stepped access the Andrews Ganj, Ring Road, New Delhi subway provides alternate ramped access with proper handrails that benefits cyclists and pedestrians alike). New overhead pedestrian bridges with ramped access encroach on the pedestrian sidewalks rendering them unusable. Often these are found blocked by railings that discourage wheelchair users / cyclists. These overhead bridges land on a high kerb/side walk with no slope ramp/ kerb cut to get down. thehindu.com/news/cities/delhi/disabled-unfriendly/ article ece 7. STREET INFRASTRUCTURE All street infrastructure (such as poles, posts, plantations, cycle parking, seating benches etc) should be aligned in a way that it leaves clear obstruction free sidewalk of 1800 mm minimum and 2400 mm vertical space. Poles, plantation etc aligned to make room with continuous unobstructed sidewalk, Washington DC, US UTTIPEC s Guidelines Multi-Functional Zones on a street should be a minim of 1800 mm wide and may locate any or all of the following functions within them: Tree planning; planting fro storm water management, auto-rickshaw stands, cycle- rickshaw stands; hawker zones; car parking; street furniture; bus stops, street lights / pedestrian lights. Tree pits / grates: 1800 mm x 1800 mm tree pit should be left for tree roots to breathe. Permeable pavers or tree grates should be placed over the pit in busy pedestrian streets so people can walk over the pit. Trees must be pruned up regularly in order to maintain visual clearance for pedestrians (2400 mm clear vertical zone) Under no circumstances, trees be placed within the 1800 mm clear horizontal walking zone. Tree planning and lighting plan be prepared in conjunction so as to not obstruct each other. These guidelines are yet to be incorporated in Delhi s street infrastructure and there are no multifunctional zones developed yet in totality. NDMC has made some efforts but alignment of street infrastructure remains a major concern. Tree obstructing the continuity and no tactile pavers on the side walk recently renovated by NDMC. Sub ways and overhead bridges must be connected ideally by an inclined travelator or slope ramps/lifts. (inclined Travellator at IGI international Airport) Lifts Specifications Lifts should be minimum 1400mm x 1400mm in size. All lifts should have Braille buttons and audio announcements systems

17 PUBLIC TRANSPORT: BUSES/ TAXIS Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India 1. PUBLIC TRANSPORT Public transport buses in Singapore are low floor & accessible. The Bus Terminus provide complete accessibility to the passengers. Land Transport: General Buses, trams, taxis, mini-buses and three-wheelers should be designed as far as practicable to include facilities that can accommodate people with disabilities. New vehicles when purchased should comply with accessibility standards to enable all people, including those in wheelchairs, to use the service provided. Equally important, travel routes to bus stops should also be barrier-free to ensure that persons can travel from their homes to their chosen pick-up point. Training should be provided for drivers to help them become aware of the needs of persons with disabilities. Delhi has low floor buses that are accessible and run both- brt and non-brt routes Cluster buses under PPP mode are semi low floor hence inaccessible. The Metro Feeder buses are high floor and inaccessible, hence, a big discouragement to those with reduced mobility. 2. ACCESSIBLE BUSES Low Floor Buses have been accepted as a common and accessible mode of public transport in cities. Among others, it has following accessibility features: Kneeling features in all low floor buses. Audio announcement. Braille enabled, bright coloured request buttons / Alighting buzzers. Visual display (LED) of the audio announcements about the upcoming bus stop. Destination Information in LED on front and side. Wheelchair parking and securement space in the bus. DTC low floor bus has all the above features hence can be termed as an accessible bus. Accessible buses should have the following features: Doors Bus doors should: Be at least 900 mm wide. Have a low-level step installed. Have handrail and footlight installed. Have apparatus such as a hydraulic lift or pull-out ramp installed in the doorway for wheelchair users. Wheelchair Space Space for a wheelchair should be provided in an appropriate position, without preventing other passengers from getting on and off. The location of that space should be as indicated, inside and outside the bus, using the standard symbol for wheelchair accessibility. Wheel stoppers and wheelchair safety belts should be provided. Alighting Buzzers An appropriate number of alighting buzzers should be provided in positions that are easily accessible for seated or standing passengers. The push button of an alighting buzzer should be clearly visible, of adequate size, installed at 900 mm to 1200 mm from the bus floor level and display the information in Braille/ raised numbers as well. Delhi Transport Corporation Buses as well as Bus Q Shelters have the accessibility sign posted. However, no other JnURM buses have prominently placed the accessibility signage in other states. Many states including Rajasthan, UP, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal etc continue to use these old buses which are completely inaccessible to elderly and disabled.

18 BUS STOPS/ BUS Q SHELTERS Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India Information Signs This bus in Singapore provides good colour contrast and also has signages in place. 3. TAXI No. of passengers per taxi are fixed in international sector. Any flouting of this norm invites heavy fines. Taxis can t be flagged anywhere. Taxis keep moving and can pick up passengers from designated pick up and drop points close enough to bus shelters. Hong Kong has exempted the taxis to pickup and drop persons with disabilities from and at non-scheduled areas also. Accessible Taxis in UK that allow boarding while sitting on wheelchairs. Information on the names of all stops along a bus route should be indicated inside the bus by displaying the text in a suitable position. Information on a route and its final destination should be displayed outside the bus in large text, especially on the front and side of the bus. This information should be in a bright contrasting colour and be well illuminated be an external light to make it readable in the dark. Taxi Interiors Taxi should be adapted to allow passengers to get in and out of them while remaining seated in their wheelchairs. DTC s new fleet of low floor buses have illuminated destination signage displayed outside. Concept of accessible taxi fleet doesn t exist in Delhi despite guidelines Need to promote by law, introduction of accessible taxis in urban areas. Certain percentage of taxis can be made mandatory before issuing licenses to the taxi operators. To ensure last mile connectivity, the autos use the bus bays and block the bus bay and should not be allowed. Autos can pick up passengers and keep moving. Piaggio autos have sufficient space to fold and store assistive devices/ wheelchairs with little improvements in design. However, autos have limitations in letting the person with wheelchair move in the auto sitting on a wheelchair. Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India 1 GENERAL Ideally the bus stops should be little away from the sidewalk so that they are connected but not encroaching on the sidewalk. Where due to space constraints, the bus stop is located on the sidewalks, continuity of sidewalk with clear width of 1000 mm for pedestrians must be ensured. Request crossing near the bus shelters to cross over. Non-slippery floor. Public conveniences must be provided near the bus stop. (photo below from Leipzig, Germany) Bus Stops At least one accessible route should be provided from the alighting and boarding point of the bus stand to the walkway that leads to the accessible building entrance. Directional signs should be installed to direct people with disabilities to an accessible entrance. Guiding blocks should be provided along the accessible walkway from the bus stand to the building entrance for the aid of people with visual impairments. The bus stand pole should be visible after dark. Location of Bus Q Shelters Bus Q shelters should be located nearest to an accessible entrance. Where transfer has to be made from a vehicular surface to a pedestrian surface, the driveway, pathway or walkway should be blended to a common level or be ramped. Tactile pavers All walking surface should have guiding and warning tactile blocks to guide people with visual impairments. Tactile pavers should be provided to lead people with vision impairments to the lifts, crossings, toilets, bus stops, i.e. all public and road facilities. Passage Width on the bus stop clear passageway with a minimum width of 900 mm. Except BRT corridors, Bus Q shelters are either located on side walk without kerb cuts or stand alone without kerb cuts. The floor surface is slippery. There are no kerb cuts to access the bus shelters. Suggested bus shelter design with ramped access BRT corridor provides real time bus information which is a good practice. This should be provided on Non-BRT corridors also.

19 Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India Sl No International Best Practices Mandatory Provisions in India Kerb cuts to access the Bus Q shelters and request crossing in Singapore. Handrails Installed at 900 mm from e sheltered floor level, should be slip-resistant with round ends with a circular section of mm in diameter & be free of any sharp or abrasive elements. Handrails to have continuous gripping surfaces, without interruptions or obstructions that can break a hold. Seats Should be provided at the bus stand for people with ambulatory disabilities. So positioned that it doesn t impede the movement of wheelchair users. Shelter For protection against adverse weather conditions, the Bus Stops be sheltered. New Bus Shelters in Delhi on non-brt routes have some of the provisions but often the floor surface is slippery, handrails do not continue on the entire incline, passage way of 900 mm connected to the sidewalks is not maintained. The bill board on the bus shelter which blocks the sidewalk width particularly in Delhi.(see Bus Shelter, NDMC Area below) 2. BUS TERMINUS Kerb cuts to access the Bus Q shelters and request crossing in Singapore. Reservation and Information Counters Should have clear floor space of at least 900 mm x 1200 mm in front of the counters. There should be at least one low counter at a height of 750 mm to 800 mm from the floor with clear knee space of 750 mm high by 900 mm wide by 480 mm deep. At least one of the counters should have an induction loop unit to aid people with hearing impairments. The counters should have pictographic maps indicating all the services offered at the counter and at least one of the counter staff should be sign language literate. Except the floor space in front of info counter, most other criteria are not complied in Delhi Bus Terminus. The ISBT Kashmere Gate for instance, a newly built/renovated Bus Terminus has slippery floor, high ticket windows with no induction loop system. There are no pictographic maps nor the staff trained in sign language. There is no accessible toilet at the ISBT, no handrails on entrance stairs. Slippery granite flooring and lack of level boarding due to small boarding strips, inaccessible toilets (below) are major problems at ISBT, Kashmere Gate Delhi. Lack of tactile guiding and warning blocks on the bus shelter The plinth of the Bus Stop and the Bus should match so that there are no level differences and it allows easy boarding of wheelchair users. The Bus Stops / walkway should be connected with kerb ramps. Ideally no gap between bus stop and the bus. Where unavoidable, it should be provided with the gap reducer. Ramps Where a bus stand is not on the same level with the walkway or pathway, it should have two separate ramps for boarding and alighting. Where there are curbs between the access aisle and the vehicle pick-up space, it should have a curb ramp. On BRT the bus stop and the bus floor is matched at 390mm and there is ramp provided to access the bus shelter. However, in non-brt bus Shelters on sidewalk have not provided any curb cut to access the Bus Shelters. However, in other cities developed under JnURM, the bus shelter is not the same level as pathway and there are high kerbs to access the bus shelter. The pathways have no kerb ramps / cuts to provide continued access. Singapore bus terminus building meets the accessibility needs of elders and disabled. Ticket Gates If there are ticket gates to enter the terminus, at least one of the ticket gates should: be minimum 900 mm wide to allow a wheelchair user through. have a continuous line of guiding blocks for people with visual impairments. Only entry to metro stations is through ticket gates and this complies with the requirement.

20 RAIL/ METRO RAIL SYSTEMS Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD 1. GENERAL Accessible parking closest to the entrance on each metro station. Accessible drop off and pick up points / bays. Station buildings must be accessible and barrier free with step free entry, alternate ramped entrance to steps, handrails at two levels on ramps and stairs, tactile orientation (guiding and warning blocks for the Visually impaired users, colour contrasted nosing on stairs, Signage with pictograms, accessible elevators to access various levels, sufficient accessible washrooms at each station. Washington Metro has issued MetroAccess Photo ID Cards to its customers with disabilities to be carried while travelling in Metro. Washington Metro also has liftequipped vans to meet the needs of persons on wheelchairs, scooters, walkers etc. It has published Customer Bill of Rights as well as Customer Responsibilities besides a dedicated grievance redressal mechanism for issues related to persons with disabilities. Washington metro has also focused on pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and program improvements to encourage cycling and walking for the last mile connectivity. It has provided free shaded cycle parking at all stations. (U shaped racks and covered bike parking facility below) Whether over-ground or underground, rail travel is a highly effective mode of transport. Every train should contain fully accessible carriages. Staff should be trained in methods of assistance and be at hand on request. Stations for all rail travel should be fully accessible with extra wide turnstiles where possible alongside wheelchair accessible doorway that has minimum clear opening of 900mm measured between the face of the door and the face of the door stop with the door open at 90 and has a lever type handle. Staff should be on hand to assist persons with disabilities to enter or exit through convenient gates. All new railway stations should be designed to be fully accessible. In a situation where full accessibility is not secured at the initial construction stage, it is imperative to design the layout of the station in such a manner that access features can be easily modified at a later stage. The Delhi Metro was inaugurated on 24 December 2002 and since then expanded to over kms. with more than 142 stations. Since the beginning, it has included Universal and Inclusive design features and comparable to the best metros of the world. Among other things it has: - designated parking for PwDs - ramps with hand rails - guiding paths and warning strips for vision impaired persons - bright color contrast for low vision persons - large lettering and information displays and signage - lifts with lowered control panel with Braille and raised control buttons and auditory signals - wide doors and grip rails on the sidewalls of the elevator car - resting areas for senior citizens and disabled persons - well lit corridors - widened ticket gate (AFC s) to accommodate wheelchair users - designated spaces for wheelchair users - audio announcement with dynamic display - sensory door closing mechanisms - reserved seats for PwDs and the elderly - Signages (in pictograms also) - Color contrasted stanchions Inside the coaches: Delhi Metro Rail is accessible to a great extent. However, there are no accessible toilets at any metro stations Escalators do not have audio signals to orient users. Delhi Metro also provides Wheelchair battery recharge facility. 2. FEEDER BUSES Japan has low floor Mini buses deployed as feeder buses. 3. APPROACH TO STATION Approach and entrance & exits to and from the Station building: should be level / nonslip. where stepped be supplemented with ramps. all levels addressed by elevators so that no entrance and exit remains inaccessible. Entrance of MTR Station Hongkong. The Urban Bus Specifications 2013 for the Mini & Midi Buses, published by Min. of Urban Development requires accessible feeder buses to connect the Delhi Metro. The approach should not have a difference in level. If a level difference is unavoidable, install a ramp or a ramp plus staircase complying with the standards (CCPD / CPWD). Paved Surfaces Pathways should be constructed of non-slip material. At places where there is a difference in level, such as where staircases meet floors, it is desirable that the appearance of the surface material be changed using colour contrast both immediately before and after that area. The approach pathway should have guiding blocks for persons with impaired vision. If the approach pathway is parallel to a road for vehicles, enhance the safety of pedestrians by installing guard rails. This metro feeder bus doesn t meet the access standards and thus breaks the seamless link of last mile connectivity. Access to Metro stations In Delhi Metro, the elevator access to the station is only provided on one side and often only one entrance. Hence stations with multiple entrances from different sides remain inaccessible to persons with reduced mobility rendering them at a reduced advantage to use the public mode of transport in comparison to others. Entrance /exits to all sides must be supplemented with accessible entrance. This becomes crucial on junctions where there are several entries to the stations from different areas like Old Delhi Station, Rajeev Chowk etc.

21 Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD 4. PLATFORMS Vertically aligned platforms with the metro rail coaches with no more than 12 mm gap. Tactile guiding pathways on the platform leading safely from the entry to the platform. Screen doors for safety on the platforms. Non slip floor surfaces. Colour contrasting signage and warning signs. Help booth for persons with disabilities at Metro Platforms is a good practice in Washington DC. 5. IDENTIFICATION OF THE COACH Each passenger rail car that has dedicated space for wheelchair parking should be dentified by the international symbol of access placed on the outside of both sides of the Train Coach near the entrance. Platform Entrances and Exits The station entrance/exit should not have a difference in level. If a level difference is unavoidable, install a ramp or a ramp plus staircase. It is desirable that space be marked out near the entrance/exit for vehicles carrying wheelchair users. Concourse The width of the concourse should be at least 1800 mm. The concourse should not have a difference in level. If a level difference is unavoidable, install a ramp or a ramp plus staircase. The floor surface of a concourse should be made of a non-slip material. At places, where there is a difference in level such as stairs, it is desirable that the appearance of the surface material be changed using colour contrast. Ensure that columns, signboards, and other fixtures do not protrude from wall surfaces. Install guiding blocks on the concourse for persons with impaired vision. Building/ vessel to be identified by the international symbol of access. The paved surface for the vision impaired at Metro station is found encroached due to lack of awareness among the security/staff. Delhi Metro has used slippery granite for making a ramp leading to the lift which makes it a safety hazard. One need to climb two steps to access this ramp at Nehru Place Metro Station which makes it inaccessible Delhi metro coaches do not have any access sign. The passengers with mobility impairment can enter into any coach. In Delhi Metro, they are safely accommodated in the Ladies coach! There are no signages for PwDs and have to follow the Pink. Delhi Metro need to rethink please. Signage provided on the train coach / bus should: Should be positioned to avoid shadow areas and glare. Letters, numbers, symbols and pictographs should be glare-free and presented in contrasting colours ( Contrasting colours means a light colour on a dark background or a dark colour on a light background, with light on dark being preferable for signage.). Letters and numbers should be sans serif, and numbers should be Arabic. Letters and numbers should have at least a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke-width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10. When tactile signage or markers are used, letters, numbers, symbols and pictographs should be raised at least 0.8 mm and should be between 16 mm and 50 mm high. If a tactile sign is mounted on a wall, its centre should be at a height of 1500 mm plus or minus 25 mm above the floor. If signage is supplemented with braille, it should be located at the bottom of the sign. If electronic signage is used, letters, numbers, symbols and pictographs should be slowly scrolled across the screen. Red letters on a black background should not be used. Information (CPWD) The information board should be made easily readable by using sufficiently large text size, distinct contrast and illumination. It is desirable that in addition to a printed version of train schedule, table of fares and other travel information also be in Braille. For hearing impaired persons an electronic sign board of appropriate size & height should be displayed on each platform at conspicuous location for all announcements made by the railways. Information signs and announcements Install a map of train routes. Announce and provide in each car a visual display of the names of stations en route. Call for help / TTY / phone in case of emergency are not available at metro stations. Consider deploying the same as is done at T-3 Terminal or at Metro Washington (details in attached pdf). Pictograms are not used widely in the metro / buses except for toilets sign. Directional signage at regular intervals to help identify the exits. Tactile maps are not available at metro stations. Ticket vending machines are not Braille / audio enabled.

22 Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD Addressing the gap between the platform and rail coach- The train and platform should be at same level. The gap between the coach and the platform should nt exceed 12 mm. such a gap can be reduced by suing folding ramps. Best practice (Japan): The station attendants quickly place a portable folding ramp for bridging the gap between the train and the platform for the convenience of wheel chair users (most of the Japanese use motorized wheelchairs). At the destination, station attendant are ready with the portable ramp. Ticket Gates At least one of the ticket gates should be wide enough to allow wheelchair users to pass through easily. One of the ticket gates should have a continuous line of guiding blocks for persons with impaired vision. Platforms The platform should have one row of dotted guiding blocks for persons with impaired vision, 800 mm. or more from the edge. The paved surface of the platform must be made with a non-slip material. Stairs, kiosks and dustbins on the platform must not hinder the clear passage of persons with impaired vision and wheelchair users. A bench should be installed on the platform, having guiding block around it. Ticket Vending Machines The coin slot should be at a suitable height for easy insertion of coins by wheelchair users. A knee recess beneath the ticket vending machines should be provided. Install guiding blocks for persons with impaired vision 300 mm away from the ticket vending machine. The fare buttons, cancel buttons and other information buttons should be written in Braille or in a distinct relief pattern. Delhi Metro has wider ticket gates and also guiding blocks However, often it is seen that the guiding blocks are obstructed by the security. Delhi Metro meets the criteria of platforms. Accessible ticket vending machines are not provided by the Delhi Metro. 6. HANDRAILS AND GRAB BARS Handrails and grab bars on a passenger rail coach / bus should be sturdy and of a height and length that permit use by a person in a wheelchair. Handrails and grab bars should be rounded and free of any sharp or abrasive element. They should have an exterior diameter of mm and a clearance of 50 mm from the wall surface to which they are attached to permit easy grasping. They should not have any obstructions that could break a handhold. Handrails and grab bars should be colour contrasted from their surrounding area or marked with a contrasting colour strip that runs the full length of the handrail or grab bar. Handrails and grab bars should also return to a wall or floor in a smooth curve. 7. FLOORS Floor surfaces on and between passenger rail coach/ bus should be slip-resistant and glare free. The edge of the floor along the entrance of the passenger doorway must be illuminated by a light placed within or immediately adjacent to that edge for easy identification. CPWD norms provide for handrails and grab bars at level changes such as ramp and stair case. The handrail diameter should be mm and provide clearance of 50 mm from the wall surface to which it is attached. The handrails should extend 300 mm beyond the ramp/ stair run to provide continuous hold. The CCPD Guideline provides that the Floor surface should be stable, firm, level and slip-resistant. It further says, where carpets are used in circulation area, they should: - Be securely fixed - Have firm cushion, pad or backing; and - Have exposed edges of carpets fastened to floor surface and trim along the entire length of the exposed edge. Delhi metro has provided handrails on both sides of staircases and ramps. Floors are non-slippery on metro rail platform as well as coaches. A yellow line is placed near the edge of the platform as a warning. However, the edge of the floor is not illuminated. Delhi Metro has provided tactile flooring for the benefit of visually impaired users.

23 Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD 8 EMERGENCY WINDOW EXITS Emergency window exits on a passenger rail coach/ bus should be clearly identified by a contrasting colour strip around the perimeter of the window or by a tactile sign or by both. Seats (CPWD) An appropriate numbers of designated seats for passengers with disabilities and for elderly people should be provided near doors. Railway and subway car doors Car doors should be wide enough for wheelchair users (minimum 900 mm). The gap between car doors and the platform should be reduced to an absolute minimum. Aisles Aisles should be wide enough for the passage of wheelchair users. The Delhi Metro has no such provision to allow a service animal as of now. Though the DGCA s civil aviation requirement has specific provision to allow travelers with service dogs/ animals to be allowed travel in the aircraft. 10 TACTILE SEAT MARKERS Tactile markers to indicate row numbers should be placed on passenger aisle seats in coach cars. National Policy on Disability 2006 mandates: All State Transport Undertakings to ensure disabled friendlyfeatures in their vehicles. Railways to provide barrier-free coaches in a phased manner. Also make the platforms-buildings, toilets & other facilities barrier-free. Indian Railways have recently announced that Purushottam Express will become the first train in the country to have a Braille- embedded AC coach for visually-challenged passengers. Source: com/india/purushottam-express-tohave-1st-braille-embedded-coach/ articleshow/ cms A tactile floor guidance system as well as indicators and seat and coach numbers in Braille help partially sighted and blind passengers to find their way in the train. 9 SECURED SEATING Seats with Floor Space to Accommodate a Service Animal Each passenger rail (other than a sleeper coach) should have a number of passenger seats that each provides enough floor space for a service animal ( Service animal means an animal that is required by a person with a disability for assistance and is certified, in writing, as having been trained to assist a person with a disability by a professional service animal institution.) to lie down. This seating should be designated by signage for use by persons with disabilities. Wheelchair Space The rail coach should have entry wide enough to allow easy entry of wheelchairs and should be leveled. Wheelchair Space A space for a wheelchair should be made available at the side of the door. The space should be indicated inside and outside the car by using the universally recognized symbol for wheelchair accessibility. Install a ring-strap or other appropriate safety grip for wheelchair users to hold on to. Space for a wheelchair should be available at the side of the door. The space should be indicated inside and outside the car by using the international symbol of access. Wheel stoppers and ring-strap or other appropriate safety grip should be provided for wheelchair users. Delhi metro has a space dedicated for wheelchair user in the first and the last coach. It has a grab bar, however, no fastening mechanisms have been provided. Delhi Metro has preference seats indicated for elderly, disabled and pregnant women. 11 ANNOUNCEMENTS If a rail carrier makes announcements to passengers, such as announcements concerning stops, delays, schedule changes, connections, on-board services and claiming of baggage, the carrier should have the means within the passenger rail coach of visually and verbally providing these announcements to persons with disabilities so that those with hearing & vision impairments do not miss them. Request-stop controls If the rail is operated on a route with request-stops and is fitted with controls to enable passengers to indicate their wish for the vehicle to stop at one, the controls must be located: within reach of a person seated in a priority seat. within reach of a person seated in a wheelchair in a wheelchair space. adjacent to at least every third row of seats. information Signs and Announcements A map of train routes should be installed. This should be in Braille/ raised numbers as well In each car, there should be an announcement and provision of a visual display of the names of stations en route. This display should be in raised numbers with sharp contrast from the background. The visual announcement in Delhi Metro is only about arrival of new stations and general instructions. However, other announcements are not provided in other formats so as to be accessible to the hearing impaired.

24 Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD 12 TOILETS / WASHROOMS Public washrooms on all passenger rail coaches / platforms should be accessible to persons with disabilities. 13 ALARMS If a passenger rail car is equipped with an alarm system, the system should be visual and audible and, when activated, display continuously. Visual alarms should be a flashing light that is strategically placed and significantly brighter than the ambient light. Any flashing lights installed on or inside a rail vehicle which are designed to be operated for the attention of passengers must not flash at a greater frequency than 2 hertz or 2 flashes per second. 14 MAINTENANCE The rail carrier /Public transport authority should have procedures in place to ensure that all existing passenger rail coaches/ bus accessibility features are maintained in good working order. These procedures should be updated as new accessibility features are introduced. For dimension of accessible toilets at Bus Terminus, Rail Stations, please refer to CCPD guidelines on barrier free environment. Accessible Railway Cars Railway cars should have the following features: Railway Car Doors Car doors should be at least 900.mm wide The gap between the car doors and the platform should be less than 12 mm. If the car door and the platform cannot be at the same level, then at least one car door should have apparatus such as a hydraulic lift or pull-out ramp installed in the doorway for wheelchair users. There are no accessible toilets on all stations of Delhi Metro. The Metro Regulations do not stipulate having a toilet facility on the train as yet. Emergency Egress Security protocols for the staff and the passengers must be clearly spelt out and must consider evacuation of persons with reduced mobility. Maintaining the accessibility features on a regular basis is equally important than merely making provisions for the same. 15 DOORWAYS A coach car with a wheelchair tie-down should have doorways that are wide enough to permit a person in a personal wheelchair to access the tie-down. If structural limitations of an existing coach car with a wheelchair tie-down prevent this criterion from being satisfied, the coach car should at least have doorways that are wide enough to permit a person using an on-board wheelchair to access the car. The door handle fitted for the use of passengers in a rail vehicle must be operable by the exertion of a force not exceeding 15 newtons. (UKSI) 16 PUBLIC LIAISON Whenever a significant improvement is made to the accessibility of any passenger service in a rail carrier s network, the carrier should prepare a statement to announce the change and should send it to both print and electronic media, and to organizations of and for persons with disabilities in the communities served by the train service. Guided Tours for persons with disabilities should be conducted by the rail service operator to acquaint them with the access facilities besides providing the same on the website. Washington Metro provides The Metro Visitor s Kit to help people use This is also available for download on their website in the desired language. Delhi metro rail has wide and leveled doors to allow easy entry and exit of persons with disabilities. Effective Information dissemination on any new service should keep going on regular intervals. The Guided Tours for persons with disabilities to understand the system is equally important. The regular sensitization of the staff holds the key. The Delhi Metro Website is not accessible not does it provides a dedicated section on services available to the persons with disabilities.

25 Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD Sl No Global Standards / Best Practices Mandatory requirements in India as per CCPD / CPWD 17 STAFF TRAINING The policy is to ensure that the staff are trained to help anyone with mobility needs who is using the public transport. Specialist training is provided to the call centre staff to ensure that they communicate effectively. Other members of staff, including management staff, are given awareness training to increase confidence in their ability to adopt the correct approach when dealing with disabled passengers. Disability Awareness Training is provided as part of the programme for all new members of staff who are involved directly with passengers. Staff with responsibilities that may involve dealing with disabled passengers are also fully trained in awareness of hidden disabilities. This training gives a clear understanding of our policy on assisting people with these needs, as well as the practicalities of putting it in place. DPTAC s Disability Equality and Awareness Training Framework for Transport Staff used as a reference document. The Training program includes instruction for staff in assisting with portable ramps, maneuvering wheelchairs and helping passengers who have difficulty in walking or who have impaired vision or hearing. All conductors are given training covering awareness of disabilities, definitions of disability and reduced mobility, highlighting examples of problems customers have encountered in a journey from start to finish and some practical exercises. The DGCA s CAR mandates through its Civil Aviation Requirement on carriage by air of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility that Airlines and operators shall conduct Staff Training on disability awareness & etiquettes periodically. The training component also exist in Delhi Metro for the personnel whose work involves dealing with passengers with disabilities. Staff training in disability equity, handling the passengers with disabilities, elderly, women, and children in emergency is not spelt out and must form a part of the staff training. Recent incident of metro getting stuck in the underground tunnel was in indicator that such an emergency did not take in to account the needs of persons with disability and the elderly. Such a procedure needs to be spelt out clearly and be included in the training programmes. 19 MISC Keeping in view last mile connectivity issues which might discourage people using metro, Washington Metro also allows Folding bicycles that are folded inside railcars at all times. During peak periods, folding bicycles must remain folded and securely fastened while traveling through the system. All bicycles allowed inside railcars must be clean, free of excess grease and dirt, and not have sharp projections. Delhi metro doesn t allow cycles inside the metro. It only allows wheelchairs and assistive devices. It does promote cycling for last mile connectivity in has made provisions for cycles at stations on rent.