Bengaluru: No City for Disability

A reputed eye hospital in Bengaluru has no ramps for patients to walk after surgery, a glaring gap replicated across the city. Wheelchairs cannot navigate most of the city’s dilapidated sidewalks. There is no way for a deaf person to learn anything about anything, as signage, although rarely present, is probably informative.

The government cuts 80% of the funds for differently abled, though Chief Minister Siddaramaiah later announced its partial restoration in the supplementary estimates.

How did the city become so neglected, thousands of visually, physically and hearing-challenged Bangaloreans wonder as they struggle to get around. The allocation of a paltry ₹ 53 crore to address the disability needs of the entire state fell dramatically to ₹ 10 crore in 2024-25, crippling many programmes. The 2011 census identified 2.74 lakh citizens as persons with disabilities in Bengaluru urban district and 13.24 lakh statewide. But that was 13 years ago.

Audio aids

Mobility in the city’s public spaces is a cruel joke, especially for the blind. But Kiran Prithvi, a computer instructor at Saratram Trust for Disability, had the courage to break free. Kiran, a daily bus commuter, flags several concerns: “There is no announcement system in the trains and in some BMTC buses, I have seen drivers turning it off. The system is completely absent in KSRTC buses, where we have to rely on conductors or fellow passengers. “

A technological solution used in Mysuru city can be replicated here, says Kiran. “This is an onboard device introduced by Saksham Bharat, which helps the visually impaired board buses. When we press a button on the device, the speaker inside the bus alerts the driver that we are waiting to board. It may work well in Bengaluru, where we have buses arriving and bus It’s hard to get information about the numbers,” he says.

Navigating the city’s notoriously chaotic sidewalks is a daunting task, even for the able-bodied. Blind people try to bypass the sidewalks and get on the road. As Kiran points out, this is an invitation to disaster. “Roads are dug up in good condition to lay cables, but not well maintained. This is a big problem for us. Vehicles are either parked on the pavement or motorcyclists are speeding past us. We are often caught unawares.”

Erroneous appointment

Token attempts to address their concerns haven’t really made much of a difference. Tactile tiles are now a standard feature on metro platforms. But the blind are rarely seen riding the train. Sobia Rafiq, an urban architect at Sensing Local, said that since the trains are fast and the entry-exit process takes a few seconds, they cannot rely on help from others.

Although tactile tiles have been laid at two bus stops in Doddanekundi, the contractor has spoiled the purpose by mixing colors. Alternating tactile tiles with circular patterns and directional tiles with lines. Broadly, they are classified as stop tiles and running tiles. The contractors themselves do not understand what the tiles mean. Even such simple things are not part of our infrastructure design,” says Sobia.

Vacancies in metro station

Empty spaces are also seen in metro stations. Centered around the KR Market metro station, a historical signage and wayfinding project by Sensing Local brought to light many such mobility gaps. Handrails were disconnected, while stairs/elevator exit tiles were absent. The project found it difficult to locate where the handrail would be, as the tiles went too far from the railing. “Touch tiles do not start and end on the same side of the stair. So the tiles at the start and end of the stair do not align. The tiles at the end or start of the stair are covered with a foot rug.

Furthermore, there was no indication of where the edge of the platform was and where to bend. The project recommended a small bump to indicate the platform edge. “Ticketing counters where the touch tiles end should always be open and staffed. Alternatively, a button to request assistance could be installed” was another recommendation.

Given these gaps and discontinuities that hinder unaided wayfinding for the visually impaired, Sensing Local called for a thorough audit of the tactile infrastructure at all metro stations. However, a reality check shows no attempt to address these gaps.

Pavement height, surface

Seamless mobility for disabled and senior citizens demands walkable surfaces that are comfortably elevated from the street. Pavements are often level 100-150mm above the curb height which makes sloping easier. On many city roads, it goes beyond 300-400mm. The Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines mandate a pavement height of 150mm from the adjacent finished carriageway level. This is to prevent vehicles from riding on the footpath to ensure easy access for all pedestrians.

The IRC is also clear about the pavement surface, which is mandated to be uniform, strong, free from cracks and well drained. “The surface should be of anti-skid material to ensure usability and safety in all weathers. “There should be a pattern (slope) on the pavement surface to prevent water from accumulating. Any breaks in the surface, such as drainage channels or expansion joints in the surface must not exceed 10mm and must pass perpendicular to the direction of movement. This will prevent the walking stick and wheels from getting caught in the gap. “

Ramp, a rarity

Ramps, an essential mobility feature, are conspicuously absent in most of the city’s public buildings and mobility hubs. As Kiran points out, Majestic’s super-busy KSR railway station lacks one. Taking a cue from public infrastructure, most commercial buildings have also eliminated ramps. In a private eye hospital in Indiranagar, elderly patients with vision problems are forced to take steps.

The National Building Code of India (NBC) mandates ramps with a minimum width of 1.2 meters, excluding edge protection. The longitudinal slope of the ramp should not exceed 1 in 12 and the cross slope should not exceed 1 in 50. Length should be 12 meters. In Australia, it is 1:16. BBMP should issue occupancy certificates to buildings only if these NBC requirements are met,” says Rahul Srikrishna, chief architect of Local Culture.

Ramps, colour-coded tactile tiles, Braille signage and audio announcements at bus stops… all these can be put in place with little investment, says Mahantesh GK, founder president of Saratham Trust. “Even small countries like Sri Lanka are disabled friendly. A little retrofitting of these in our public spaces will make our city more disabled-friendly,” he says, echoing the demands of millions for real change in policy and action.