http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Draft-code-exempts-14-places-from-having-toilets-for-disabled/articleshow/50156550.cms The National Building Code sectional committee of the Bureau of Indian Standards is undertaking a comprehensive revision of the NBC and the draft of different parts of the code are on the website for feedback from the public. The National Building Code sectional committee of the Bureau of Indian Standards is undertaking a comprehensiv... Read More .
It will be mandatory for all airports and railway stations to have toilets accessible to the disabled. However, this is not mandatory for 14 other kinds of public places including office buildings, cinemas, convention halls, theatres, art galleries, libraries, museums, hotels, restaurants, schools and educational institutions. Bizarre as this might sound, that's how the draft National Building Code (NBC) is worded. . . The NBC sectional committee of the Bureau of Indian Standards is undertaking a comprehensive revision of the NBC and the draft of different parts of the code are on the website for feedback from the public with the last section open for comments up to December 24. NBC regulates all construction activity, providing a model code or guidelines for all agencies, government or private, involved in building construction. The disability sector has been demanding that every part of the code be reviewed keeping accessibility in mind. "NBC was last revised in 2005. So, now it is happening after a decade. And, this time also if we make compromises or take shortcuts, lakhs and lakhs of more buildings would get constructed in the next 3 to 5 years alone that would be not just inaccessible but hostile to India's disabled population. They would remain hostage, confined within their homes, an invisible minority," said Javed Abidi of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP). . . Sanjay Pant, director, civil engineering of BIS, in a letter to the NCPEDP, argued that Part 3 of the NBC 'Development Control Rules and General Building Requirements' was also being revised and that this part contained provisions relating to barrier-free environment with the objective of universal accessibility. -- Avinash Shahi Doctoral student at Centre for Law and Governance JNU Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
