CHALLENGES FACE BY PERSONS WITH DISABIITIES IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

 While travelling on the public transportation, I never gave the thought on the ‘persons with disabilities’ seat. I had notice on the seat but never thought on the challenges that ‘persons with disabilities’ face. After working at the I/NGOs of ‘persons with disabilities,’ I started thinking about the accessibility.

One challenge they face is that while entering the vehicles, do they have the access to go inside the vehicle? Although they can, it can be difficult for them to enter in the vehicle. For example: ‘persons with wheelchair,’ have the difficult to access in the vehicles. They need a care taker to carry them and access in the vehicles. Moreover, the accessibility of vehicle is not that easy because of the height.

Secondly, some of the vehicles do not have the comfortable seats and in the easy position. Usually, in the microbus, the seat is in front. So, while coming out of the seat. It’s difficult for them to come out. ‘Persons with disabilities’ don’t feel comfortable and difficult to come out from the seat.

Thirdly, while travelling in the vehicles, I haven’t seen anyone providing discounts. There are four cards provided to the ‘persons with disabilities’ by the government. A persons with complete disabilities is ‘A’ category and is issued in the red colour with golden letters clearly identifying.  Second card is extremely handicapped disability which is the ‘B’ category and is in the blue colour. Third card is the moderate disability (‘C’ category) which is in the yellow card. Fourth one is the general disability (‘D’ category) which is in white card. Those cards are access for the rights and entitlements in fields of education, health, employment, transportation and many others.

If we analysis, there is the facilitates for the ‘persons with disabilities’ but it is not in the system. It is in written form only. Government must facilitate a disability-friendly transport chain. They should think about the height of the transportation, position and comfortable seats. Furthermore, there should be awareness among the people and should have positive attitude towards ‘people with disabilities.’ Also, the driver and conductor should not be rude and they should cooperate with them, When ‘people with disabilities’ stop the vehicles, the conductor should help ‘persons with disabilities’ to enter the vehicles and make them sit comfortable.