Ticket counter for PwD opened at Arumbakkam Metro

CHENNAI: To ensure Metro stations comply with Rights of Persons with Disability Act of 2016, the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) has currently set up a try-out ticket counter for persons with disabilities (PwDs) at the Arumbakkam Metro station.

Following directions of the Madras High Court in June to make Metro stations barrier-free, CMRL assured the court that stations had already undergone retrofitting and that in 6 weeks (by August third week), it would comply with the Act as well.

Subsequently, CMRL has been actively working on meeting the standards with the involvement of PwDs and activists. As a part of this, a ticket counter at the Arumbakkam Metro that was placed at a height accessible only to able-bodied persons has been renovated for PwDs to use.

Sathish Kumar, member of Disability Rights Alliance (DRA), said, “At certain Metro stations, the uneven ramps have been levelled and handrails are installed as per Madras HC orders. However, a wheelchair user accessing the ticket counter, which is in the standing height, has always been a challenge for the disabled.”

DRA has made certain recommendations such as widening the space so that wheelchair users with joysticks can easily access the area. “Besides this, a few observations in the stations have been informed to the CMRL, which will also be addressed soon,” added Sathish.