CHENNAI: Handrails installed along the pavement at the Kotturpuram bus stop have made it difficult for wheelchair users to board low-floor buses operated by MTC
“The low-floor buses were put to use so that wheelchair users can commute without issues. But due to the placement of handrails, buses cannot stop closer to the bus stop and open the ramp, making it difficult to access,” said Sathish, a wheelchair user who flagged this issue on X.
According to him, the metal handrails block the approach space required for wheelchair users and prevent buses from aligning close to the kerb, a requirement for deploying ramps in low-floor buses. He added that the design of the bus stop fails to account for the operational nature of buses, which do not stop at fixed points like metro trains.
Sathish urged the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to adopt inclusive planning practices. “The GCC must include the design in the planning stages and also seek inputs from all sections of users. Handrails in the bus stop need to be removed,” he said.