Bhubaneswar: The Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) is planning to make under construction buildings easily accessible to the differently-abled and ensure that they have facilities to tackle fires.
The SSEPD is writing to all concerned departments supervising the construction of new buildings. In a similar initiative, the SSEPD has asked the Panchayati Raj Department to allow them to make their under construction building accessible to the differently-abled.
The SSEPD told the Panchayati Raj Department that the training centre for the visually handicapped at the State Institute of Special Education and Research (SISER) on SIRD campus has been asked to ensure that the building facilitates easy movement of the differently-abled.
In a recent letter to the PRI Department the SSEPD said, “The construction of a four-storeyed building of the institute is going on. A ramp and an accessible parking shade are required by the side of the building to ensure accessibility for the disabled during fire escapes on all the floors.”
“Permission of the Panchayati and Drinking Water Department is required for taking up construction of a fire-escape ramp and an accessible parking place for the disabled in the building. It will be appreciated if permission for construction of the above mentioned facility is accorded,” it added.
The SSEPD is also coordinating with other departments and public buildings to make them accessible to all. SSEPD is also the nodal agency for implementation of the Centre’s Accessible India Campaign which funds states for making public buildings accessible to the differently-abled.