BARRIER FREE ARCHITECTURE IN PUBLIC SPACES: “A COMPARATIVE EVALUATION IN NEW DELHI”

Preamble

Despite a vast set of rules and regulations concerning architecture for disabled people, the built environment still requires to be pragmatic and accessible. Architecture is often not suitable for people with special needs, whether the impairments are permanent or temporary. Building regulations focus mainly on wheelchair users as a stereotype disabled person while disregarding other limiting factors to various other fringe groups.The variety of impairments being immense and architecture needs to be useable or adaptable to the needs of every person, more suitable guidelines than strict and non-flexible building regulations are necessary. Barrier-Free Environment and Inclusive Design can enable people with disabilities to move about safely and freely and to use the facilities within the built environment.The goal of this dissertation is to provide a holistic view of architecture scenarios for disabled people in different public spaces in New Delhi, further examine examples across the world and provide recommendations on how to improve the situation through retrofitting.

AIM

To collate information about various public spaces and study the use of barrier-free design in New Delhi.

Objectives

• To understand the scope, use of barrier-free architecture and examine the current scenario in the world.

• To explore the role of inclusive design in barrier-free architecture.

• To study the standards & specifications for barrier-free architecture, comparing it with existing public spaces.

• To identify how the effect of barrier-free architecture enhances functionality in different categories of public spaces.

Scope

Disabilities are diverse in nature affecting people in different ways; this research focuses on physical disabilities. Barrier-free architecture is adopted and implemented in various spheres and types of buildings however this study is limited to only the public spaces in New Delhi only.

Methodology

• Collect information about barrier-free design and the need for it in modern society through books, journals, and other literature available on the internet.

• Interviews and Questionnaires to provide a perspective on challenges faced by the disabled and to reach on desired.

• Comparing the standards and the existing scenario.

• Considering the global scenario and drawing out certain measures which can be adopted in Indian conditions.

Disability Persons In India1 State Of Disability In Delhi

• As per Census 2011, in India, out of the 121 Cr population, about 2.68 Cr persons are ‘disabled’ which is 2.21% of the total population

• In an era where ‘inclusive development’ is being emphasized as the right path towards sustainable development, focussed initiatives for the welfare of disabled persons are essential. This emphasizes the need for strengthening disability statistics in the Country.

• Having one of the lowest percentage (1.4%) of the disabled population in Union territories, Delhi has one of the highest percentages of disabled people 60+, which displays the need for more facilities for disabled.

• Drawing out the conclusion and performing an analysis by preparing a set of recommendation for improving the public spaces via barrier-free through retrofitting.

• Delhi government’s social welfare department has constituted a committee to look into all aspects of a separate department formation to address problems faced by persons with disabilities (PwDs)

• A dedicated department is also into works to look into issues of persons with disabilities.and helping them provide better services.

• Most of it still in the concept stage where the Delhi government is still collecting information to formulate a model2.

Barrier Free Architecture in Public Spaces: ‘A Comparative Evaluation in New Delhi’

Collecting Information By Questionnaire Developed Through Social Model Of Disability

Mike Oliver was one of the first people to look at disability from the other side and develop a social model of disability. This helped in viewing disability as a societal construct, rather than as a medical impairment.3 A questionnaire was developed regarding his philosophy to collect information about issues faced by handicapped.

Can you tell me the what is wrong with the society in respects of peoples regards to disability?

What defects in designs of everyday objects affect your handicap?

Do other peoples reaction to your disability have limit in you activities?

Which public places do you feel hesitant to go to because of your disability?

What in the local environment do you feel is a big concern for you to get about?

Which are the key issues you have identified while travelling on public transport?

What poor design you have encountered that has limited your mobility?

Common Challenges Reported By Disabled

Public School and Colleges Restaurants Infrastructure

• Lack of sensitization & awareness among masses

• No proper access paths made to entrances and no drop curbs for bus stops.

• No independent systems designed.

• No special educators present in the schools

• Most of the schools have no presence of proper facilities in schools for kids with special needs.

• Few restaurants present on the ground floor have services equipped for the disabled.

• Most people reported having felt embarrassment or frustration on their visit to a restaurant

• No public toilet and present on petrol pumps were found to be equipped with handicap services.

• The existing transportation and infrastructural facilities available to the disabled are hardly adequate.

• Public transport-related problem comprises the problems related to the design of the vehicles (high and incompatible steps of vehicles from the platform level)

• Road constraints involve encroachment of bus stops by vendors, temporary structures and parked vehicles stopping of buses fat from actual bus bays thus causing great inconvenience to them.

• Feeling of insecurity by the disabled while traveling on private buses.

• The disabled person is largely dependent on a family because they get economically and emotional support from the family. The disabled person also gets emotional support from friends and relatives and also gets encouragement.

• Disabled people sometimes have difficulty doing things and other people may take for granted, such as traveling on public transport, climbing stairs or even using some household appliances. However, the greatest challenge that disabled people have had to face has been society’s misperception that they are the “breed apart”. Historically they have been pitied, ignored, vilified-even hidden away in institutions.

Barrier Free Architecture in Public Spaces: ‘A Comparative Evaluation in New Delhi’

Comparing With Current Cpwd Standards4

• The “Handbook on Barrier-Free and Accessibility” published by Central Public Works Department gives guidelines and solutions for accessibility in a built environment. It is designed both as a working tool to provide a common point of reference and as a means to increase the awareness of the needs of people with disabilities and the elderly. Practical low-cost solutions to retrofitting existing buildings are discussed, as well as the methods used to assess the suitability of an existing building, to improve access for disabled people.

• Its one of the textbooks referred for this study and also make sure to implement the guidelines and implement them to create a Barrier-Free Built Environment.

Pyramid Of Needs5

Integrating Principles Of Universal Design6

Principle 1: Equitable Use

The pyramid is to be read from a top-down approach and represents Universal Design solutions for meeting individual needs. By catering to those most in need first or those experiencing worst-case scenarios at the top of the pyramid, will naturally accommodate and be used by mainstream society at the bottom of the pyramid.

Principle 6: Low Physical Effort

4. Handbook on Barrier Free and Accessibility, Central Public Works Department, New Delhi

5. Developed by Maria Benktzon and Sven-Erich Juhlins

6. Center for Universal Design, Universal Design Principles

Principle 5: Tolerance for Error

Principle 7: Size & Space for Approach & Use

Barrier Free Architecture in Public Spaces: ‘A Comparative Evaluation in New Delhi’ 05

CASE STUDY: Indira Paryavaran Bhawan (Government Building)

Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, the headquarters of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, is located in Jorbagh, New Delhi. The project is now India’s highest green-rated building and is disable friendly. It uses innovative solar mechanisms for energy generation and has been built by using energy-efficient building materials.

Barrier Free Architecture in Public Spaces: ‘A Comparative Evaluation in New Delhi’

CASE STUDY: Metro Station

Location: Okhla NSIC Metro

Station is located on the Magenta Line of the Delhi Metro As part of Phase III of Delhi Metro

CASE STUDY: Bus Stop

• Plan developed for a direct pedestrian axis to East, North and West Entrance without crisscrossing vehicles who has a straight axis of entry through service lanes and a basement ramp at the south side of the building

• All pedestrian entry is equipped with disabling ramps on all entry with a ramp coming from the basement to the entry at the rear side of the building into the main courtyard

• Ground Floor populated by Common and Public facilities which are equipped with limited natural light

• The blocks segregation of blocks restricts the movement of the people with disabilities and the water body present in the center atrium had no ramp for crossing.

• Having an accessible public transport system enables people with disabilities to move around the city independently. Delhi Metro is quite equipped regarding accessibility as it has wheelchair-friendly elevators, ramps, and the metro corporation even assists at its stations to people who request it.

• However, it was first observed found that reserved parking for differently-abled persons was occupied by cars which didn’t have the right to park and secondly they don’t have proper maintenance of wheelchairs no assistance was provided.

Location: Munirka Bus Stop

“Even though they brought accessible buses, the problem is with bus stands,”A wheelchair user and passanger

• Several wheelchair users in the city said that public transport options for them are limited and it becomes challenging and frustrating to take buses, especially for that crucial last-mile connectivity.

• Often passenger has to wait for long periods at the bus stop for a bus they can board. This is not because buses do not ply on their route, but because most buses are either inaccessible to them, or the staff of low-floor accessible buses ignores them at the bus stop.

• The low-floor buses are meant to be wheelchair friendly but several of them remain inaccessible to wheelchair users because of factors such as the lack of functional ramps at bus stands, inaccessible pavements, as well as the lack of awareness of the bus staff towards the requirements of wheelchair users and also their insensitivity.