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…..the design of our physical environment should reflect our

understanding of the real needs of the disabled. it is not tragic to live in a
wheel chair. disability only becomes a tragedy when society fails to
provide the things one needs to lead one's life..

B.Arch DISSERTATION TOPIC ( dec ’02 to may ’03)

DESIGN OF A MULTI SPECIALITY COMPLEX - an emphasis on

BARRIER FREE ENVIRONMENT

INTRODUCTION
More than 90 million people are disabled in India as per the NATIONAL
SAMPLE SURVEY OF 1991. A decade has gone and the numbers could turn
out to be even scarier. In this around 8.939 million people are with
locomotor disabilities 4.006 million are visually impaired. This shows that
around 13 million face problems in mobility.
A questionnaire was made and was answered by physically challenged
people and few aged citizens. The result of this questionnaire way that,
most of the people dint bother about their disability, but what bothers
them the most is the environment which compels them to be disabled.
The environment which creates the barrier as in there were no basic
facilities made , like the most essential ramps. And most of them were
tied within 4 walls as there were not many, rather, any hangout spaces
essentially for them , even they required a leisure centre- a shopping mall
why should they be deprived of the day to day pleasures, which the so
called able citizens enjoy.

SCOPE OF DESIGN
1 1. This is an attempt to design a space for people who are physically
challenged (those who generally face a problem with mobility).
2 2. An attempt to reduce the barriers they face - design wise.
3 3. To find an alternative, to minimize the problems faced in mobility.
4 4. To understand the various issues that might cause them
inconvenience and an attempt to minimize them. This shall also
provide a place wherein they can widen their knowledge and share

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their talents among each other and with the public, which might
also lead them towards their employment or revenue.
5
These points summed up to the design of a MULTI-SPECIALITY CENTRE
a public space to satisfy the specific/essential needs of the physically
challenged people. This center satisfies 3 Es of the user Entertainment,
Education and Employment.

The complex involves a central ramp around a Food Court linking three
blocks.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK: This includes the branch office of
REHABILITATION COUNCIL OF INDIA at the same time has the info centre
on various disabilities, their issues.
THE ACADEMIC BLOCK: This includes a library (an audio library section
for the visually impaired too), reference section, a museum both visual
and tactile displays and a workshop and an institute where a vocational
courses are conducted.
THE COMMERCIAL ENCLAVE: This involves the normal commercial
spaces, shopping malls and restaurants and also an auditorium and a
theater, but with a little consideration.
The central ramp forms the main access to the various levels. Tactile
Flooring and special walls forms the guiding blocks for the movement of
the visually impaired. Moreover their movement is also assisted by the
water bodies and special aromatic flowers and plants which would guide
them in a better way. The above elements -which vary in colour and
texture - help the others to identify the various spaces. Similarly the
vertical exhibition area involves an elevator floor which takes the users up
and down instead of the users moving around.
This was just an attempt to emphasize the existence of an ignored
minority and to prove how minor changes and consideration can change
the entire way of their living.

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M Plan Dissertation Topic ( jul ’05 to dec ’05 )

Access & Mobility for the Mobility Impaired in Cities

For the last two decades, international, regional as well as national and
sub national efforts have been made to address the issues of persons with
disabilities, including implementation of an international decade (1983-
1992), and a regional decade (1993-2002) on disability. Despite those
efforts, the situation of persons with disabilities in the Asian and Pacific
region, including East Asia and the Pacific, has not been improved as
expected.

The design of our physical environment should reflect our understanding

of the real needs of the disabled.. It’s not tragic to live in a wheelchair..
disability only becomes a tragedy when society fails to provide the things
one needs to lead one’s life. And moreover Cities are being planned by
people between the ages 20-60 and they are planning for themselves.
There is no sensitivity to the fact that there are young and old, non
disabled and disabled.

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This Dissertation attempts to review the Measures and attempts taken all
over the world to provide Access & Mobility for the Mobility Impaired (the
physically challenged who face problem in mobility). The measures being
adopted world wide fit into Legislational, Planning & Technological aspects

There is no denying about the Laws and Acts. Legislations has been
formulated in almost all the countries , but the degree of enforcement of
those acts into realities vary according to the degree of development of
the countries. Highly developed countries have gone a little ahead in the
concept of accessibility and they have introduced the role of technology
into realizing the needs of the disabled.

Certain countries have been strictly formulating Accessibility Plans for

their cities. The next step has been the Transportation plans. Importance
of Access is been identified & studies funded by World Bank & DFID have
come out with an important fact : The POVERTY – DISABILITY cycle. Its
been found that most of the disabled people fall under the poverty line
because of the denial of access to their basic right such as EDUCATION,
HEALTH & WORK. Provision of access to them would not only improve
their standard of living (which is nothing but realizing one of the
Millennium Development Goals) but at the same time would definitely
mark a difference in world’s economy. Study has proved that providing
access to tourist spots will have an effect on the tourist economy of a
nation.

Thus , an Accessible City means a step towards eradicating

poverty and a step towards establishing Human rights.

One more important finding is the importance of understanding of

TRANSPORTATION CHAIN / TRIP CHAIN and the importance of ACCESS
AUDIT. One has to find out the prevailing barriers in order to remove
them. Barriers such as Social Barriers, Psychological Barriers, Structural
Barriers & Technological Barriers. A complete understanding of the Trip
Chain would certainly be useful in providing access where in the principles
of SARA could be implemented.

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One more misconception is that Barrier-free addresses only a specific

bunch – the truth is that Disability is not an individual’s apathy, it’s a
phase which anyone might go through – a pregnant women , a man
carrying luggage or a hurt in the limb etc., So the access should be seen
in more a UNIVERSAL APPROACH.

Accessible City will be a definite success if the concept of Universal Access

is applied. Thus to conclude I would like to emphasize the need for the
UNIVERSAL ACCESS in Planning , which not only eases the movement of
the general able bodied person but at the same time makes things
POSSIBLE for those secluded bunch of people, who’s lives are shut out not
because of their impairment but because of the failure of the society &
Professionals in denying access to them.

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M Plan Thesis Topic ( dec ’05 to Apr ’06 )

ACCESIBILITY PLAN FOR THE MOBILITY IMPAIRED IN CHENNAI CITY

AIM : To Make Chennai a CITY ACCESSIBLE by addressing the Access &

Mobility related issues faced by the Mobility Impaired People and thereby
creating an INCLUSIVE Environment.

OBJECTIVES :

1 • To Map the Activity Pattern of the MOBILITY IMPAIRED

2 • To identify the barriers faced by the respective focus group in the

case study area.

3 • To Analyze the Need/ Requirements of the Mobility Impaired.

4 • Formulate strategies, guidelines & proposals that would address in

terms of Spatial Planning, Assistive Technology & Legislative
Measures.

5 • the study would deal with issues related to MOBILITY : Access to

basic services & Social Infrastructure.

6 • BARRIER FREE TOURISM : Providing Access would not only

facilitate the Physically Challenged , but also the Tourist Economy.

7 • To give a Site specific proposal for a particular zone which could

be treated as a prototype.

Disability is not an individual’s pathology, it’s a phase which anyone

might go through in life, Pregnant women, Senior Citizens, people
carrying children or luggage; people with Orthopaedic problems;
people who are temporarily infirm face some kind of a mobility
problem or other. These are the Mobility Impaired People and which
constitute a sizeable number of the population. For the last two
decades, international, regional as well as national and sub national
efforts have been made to address the issues of persons with
disabilities, including implementation of an international decade
(1983-1992) and a regional decade (1993-2002) on disability. Despite

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those efforts, the situation of persons with disabilities in the Asian

and Pacific region, including East Asia and the Pacific, has not been
improved as expected. According to the 58th round NSSO survey,
there were 18.49 million in 2002, in India. Among which, 57.5%
constitute persons with Visual Impairments & 15.28% constitute
persons with Locomotor Disabilities,that leads to approximately 74%
of the Disabled Population suffering from mobility impairment.

The Disability prevalence reflects in similiar magnitude even in the state.

According to Census 2001, more than 2.63% of the state’s population
suffers from one form of disability or the other, of which 58.69 % are
Visually Impaired & 21.54% are Locomotor disabled. 17% of the
state’s population belongs to the Greying Population.

Accessibility is defined as the opportunity that an individual or type of

person at any given location possesses to take part in a particular
activity or a set of activities (Jones, 1981).Barriers to mobility
discriminate against senior citizens and disabled persons, preventing
them from accessing activities that contribute to living a dignified
and meaningful life. To quote Napoleon Bonaparte – “Ability is of
no account without proper opportunity “. Opportunity here
refers to the equal opportunity to access the basic facilities,
opportunity to contribute and opportunity to live a dignified and
independent life. Thus its not their disability, that prevents them from
participating, it’s the society or the environment that denies them the
access to live an independent life, often leading to be a vulnerable
and poor community of the society.

An Accessible Barrier Free Environment is the first step towards

fulfilling the right of people with disabilities to participate in all areas
of community life, This includes: access to transportation, election
access, access to water supply and sanitation, technology access,
appropriate sources of communication to ensure information and an
infrastructure that breaks down all physical barriers preventing equal

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access for all members of a community. Thus arises the need for
Accessibility in Cities.

In this report the author had taken persons with Locomotor disabilities,
Visual Impairments and the Senior Citizens as her Focus group and
has attempted to study their activity pattern, the barriers faced by
them, to understand their needs and requirements. The author also
has attempted to address the gaps in the existing Norms and
Guidelines with respect to the access of the Disabled. Based on the
inputs from the Sample, the Author has addressed the Accessibility
issues at City level and and at a case study level and has given
general guidelines that are to be followed at a city level and has
concluded on a site specific solution, selected based on Accessibility
Index. A chapter wise summarization follows :

CHAPTER I

In the first chapter the author throws light on the prevalence of the
magnitude of the PWDs and the Senior Citizens in the country and
supports the need for this study. The Aim of this thesis is to make
Chennai, a city Accessible to the mobility impaired by addressing
issues faced by the focus group. The main objectives are –
delineating a priority corridor within the City, to understand the
Activity Pattern of the Mobility impaired with respect to the City and
within the case study area, to identify the existing barriers faced by
the focus group and to understand the actual needs and
requirements of the Mobility Impaired and the workout strategies and
guidelines based on their actual needs . The author also explains the
methodology by which the study will be carried out. The thesis is
carried out in 4 stages. First Stage : understanding the prevalence
& magnitude of the focus group in the city and a review on existing
practices. Second Stage : Delineation of the priority corridor and a
sampling within the delineated area, for better understanding of the
activity pattern of the focus groups and the barriers face by them.

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Third Stage: A detailed study of the delineated area and a sample

survey shall be conducted and an analysis of existing barriers faced
by the respective focus groups. Final Stage: this stage shall
conclude the findings from the other chapters, and would come up
with guidelines and strategies at city level and a site specific
proposal.

CHAPTER II

In this chapter, the author addresses the legal framework in Indian

context, while summarizing the international initiatives in a phased
manner. The legislative framework addressing the access related issues of
the PWDs being , Our Constitution , PWD Act – 1995 , National Building
Code of India, 1983, The Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier-Free
Built Environment For Disables and Elderly Persons (CPWD), Ahmedabad
General Development Control Regulations and Delhi Building Access By-
Laws.

CHAPTER III

This chapter deals about the prevalence of the focus group within the City
and the services and facilities that exist within the CMA limits. The
Chennai city stands second in the population of the PWDs as per Census
2001. Around 2% of the City’s Population are Physically Challenged and
8% are Senior Citizens. Among the Disabled around 72% are stated
literate, but doesn’t show the literacy level, and around 35.81% are
employed – but even this doesn’t reveal their economic status. Among the
Disabled literate population and the employed population the visually
impaired are found to be more in number. This chapter also maps the
number of institutes (Government , Government Aided and Non –
Government Organizations ) and the existing facilities for the PWDs and
the Senior Citizens.

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CHAPTER IV

Among the 29 institutes recognised for people with Locomotor

Disabilities,31% are identified to be located in the southern corridor
( along Mylapore, Adyar and Thiruvanmiyur stretch). Among the 13
institutes recognised for people who are Visually Challenged, 23% lie
within the same corridor and among the 24 institutes recognised for
people who are Mentally Impaired, 33% lie in that corridor and among 33
recognised Old Age Homes, 33% lie in the corridor which is delineated as
the priority corridor for the sample survey. Apart from this 4 major
hospitals – Cancer Institute, Kaliappa, Malar and AMS fall within this zone.
The focus group within this zone is found in a cluster as they are more
institution based than residence based. An institution based sample are
taken because, activity around those areas would be more related to the
PWDs. A residence is bound to change but an institute / organization the
PWDs is a constant attractor of the PWDs.

CHAPTER V

This chapter deals about the sample survey conducted in Around 7

Institutes / NGOs related to PWDs. a Multi level stratified sampling is
done , Interview Schedule and Group Discussions were held and
around 100 samples were taken , inclusive of all categories of the
focus group. The major topics covered in the Survey are the barriers
faced and their activity pattern.

CHAPTER VI

In this chapter the author has mapped the activity pattern of the Focus
Group within the CMA and within the case study area. The case study area
is limited to 4 nodal points - Kotturpuram Signal, Canal Bank Road, Sardar
Patel road, Dr. Durgabai Deshmukh Road (AMS Hospital). The movement
of the Locomotor Disabled can be classified as the tricycle movement,
movement of wheel chair users and those with the crutches. Their Mobility
is purely essential bound, around 50% of the respondents have shown

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interest towards recreation, but only 25% have gone out for any
recreational spaces. Though buses are very much available, the Access to
them is minimal , at the same time , reaching railway platforms is another
problem they face. Thus on a city level their movement is generally in
and around their Employment & Education spaces and also around the
important Transit Nodes. The Senior Citizens limit themselves to a very
limited radius. They either go out on an official purpose or for any
religious visits or to go out of station.
Activity within the case study area is also very much bound to their work /
education oriented. Hence their activity concentration is more around
their institutions. Their activity is determined by their economic status.
Hence the locomotor disabled are forced to use the private mode of
transport (auto rickshaws) since there is no access to the pedestrian
infrastructure and even the public mode of transport is inaccessible.
The Visually challenged are found to be with another Visually challenged
person or a sighted person. The independent movement of the Visually
challenged are found to be limited.

CHAPTER VII

In this chapter the author deals the barriers faced by each of the Focus
Group within the case study area. the barriers can be categorized as
the barriers they face in accessing the pedestrian infrastructure, the
bus terminals, Road crossings and in accessing their education places
and employment places. The obstructions in the pedestrian pathway
like the transformers, junction boxes, garbage bins and uneven
pathways , traffic and high speed vehicular movement pose a major
threat to the visually challenged. The height of the platforms, non-
availability of the ramps in the platforms, non-accessible public mode
of transport, inaccessible public toilets, problems in signal crossing
are identified as barriers for the locomotor disabled. The non-
availability of street furnitures and uneven pedestrian pathway and
insensitive signals, unsafe road crossings, absence of the median
refugee are faced as a barrier by the Senior Citizens.

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CHAPTER VIII

In this chapter the author summarizes the findings of the previous

chapters and also the actual needs and requirements of the focus group.
The Visually Challenged requires Cues for orientation, Audio / tactile
information, Safer pedestrian paths & Safer Crossings and Access to
information. The locomotor Disabled requires safer crossings, Access to
pedestrian infrastructure and public mode of transport . the senior citizens
more or less require the same as that of the locomotor disabled and
visually challenged.
In this chapter, the author also summarizes the gaps found in The
Development Control Rules, Urban Development Plans Formulation &
Implementation (UDPFI) Guidelines and Guidelines for Pedestrian facilities
by Indian Road Congress (IRC) in context with the PWDs.

CHAPTER IX
In this chapter the author discusses the was by which Accessibility can be
achieved i.e., either Locating the facilities nearer to the focus group or
taking the focus group nearer to the facilities.
The first step is locating the facilities nearer to the focus group. The
Author discusses the accessible minimum distance for locating the
facilities for the focus group. She also discusses the considerations that
are to be taken while locating the facilities for the locomotor disabled,
visually challenged and the senior citizens, at a city level and
neighbourhood level and at a layout level.
The next step is taking the beneficiaries to the facility, that can be
achieved by Accessible Transportation. Which in turn is achieved by
taking up the following measures :

Accessible Pedestrian Infrastructure

Pedestrian Pathway
Road Crossings & Signals

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Street Furniture
Accessible Transit Stations (Bus stops / Railway stations etc.,)
Accessible Parking lots
Accessible Public Transport

The author also discusses the accessible standards for providing the same
at a neighbourhood level.

CHAPTER X

The proposals are dealt in two levels, one at a city level and another a site
specific proposal. On a city level , priority corridors are identified to
make them accessible and few macro level guidelines are given. The
site specific proposal is given to the WEST CANAL BANK ROAD , which
is been identifies as the least accessible space based on an
accessibility index . While giving proposal the upcoming MRTS was
also taken into consideration, as that would provide more scope for
the public access. The proposals given are the Pedestrian
infrastructure, Accessible Bus stops and Accessible Crossings.

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