Meghalaya has approximately 44,000 persons with disabilities and these individuals do not have accessible transportation.
With many other constraints experienced by them a group of organisations today came forward to raise the issue by holding a signature campaign at Khyndailad for the government to hear out their problems by creating a barrier-free environment.
Organisations who were part of the campaign are Meghalaya Deaf Association, Khasi Disabilities Association, Meghalaya Liberation for Visually Impaired, Barefoot Trust, National Center for Promotion and Empowerment of Disabled People and Blind Lead Trust.
Blind Lead Trust managing director, Jitendra Dkhar said, “Demand for accessibility of transportation is an important issue and our demand is not only for persons with disability but for senior citizens, pregnant women and several others who face difficulties.”
He said lack of footpaths, roads dotted with potholes put lives of persons with disabilities at risk.
The organisations hoped that the government will provide a barrier-free environment for PWDs for them to move about safely and freely and use all facilities within the built environment, roads, parks, gardens and other places.
“Barrier-free design should be incorporated to access disabled persons,” they said.
