Disabled-friendly building rules to be extended

CHENNAI:  Rules for making public buildings disabled-friendly will soon be extended across the State through a Government Order, said P R Sampath, Commissioner for the Welfare of the Differently Abled.  These rules are now incorporated in Chennai alone, by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, he explained.Sampath inaugurated a two-day workshop on ‘Inclusive Cities - Accessibility and Universal Design’, organised by the Department of Planning, School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University, and CBM South Asia Regional Office on Friday.In 2003, the State government passed an order inserting Rule 28 A in the Development Control Rules of the Town and Country Planning Act of 1971, including provisions of disabled persons. Accordingly, public buildings with more than two floors should have a ramp with a specifically given slope level, a lift large enough to accommodate a wheel-chair bound person, 90 cm high handrail in staircases, special toilets in the ground floor and exclusive parking space for physically handicapped (atleast two spots) persons. “These rules will have to be enforced for planning permits and buildings not incorporating them will not be issued completion certificates, which is important to obtain power and sewer connections,” he said.Now, these rules would also be enforced in the municipalities, town panchayats and village panchayats. A GO will be issued  and the CM  had agreed for the same, he said.