Audit finds anti-skid flooring, handrails missing at city court

NEW DELHIi: An accessibility audit of district court in Patiala House complex near India Gate by a voluntary organisation, conducted as part of "Sugamya Delhi Abhiyan" in Jan this year, has brought into focus the accessibility challeng-es in courts, with missing or discontinuous tactile pathways, inadequate signage and poorly maintained surfaces making finding the way difficult and dependent on assistance.

The district court case study is just a reflection of the larger problem that afflicts most courts across states, as high lighted in a working paper tit led "Accessible Justice, Inclusive Growth: Case for courtroom accessibility in India" prepared by voluntary organisation Inclusive Divyangjan Entrepreneur Associa-tion (IDEA) in collaboration with Office of the Chief Com missioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD).

The findings released on 'Global Accessibility Aware ness Day' on Thursday draw from existing data and research to highlight that despite Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016 and a national policy framework anchored by Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), courts across the country remain largely inacces sible to persons with disabiliti es, senior citizens and other vulnerable groups.

The Patiala House case study shows that while some basic features are in place, "accessibility is inconsistent, fragmented and often non-functional in practice". "Corridors are often wide enough but lack supporting features like handrails, anti-skid flooring and clear directional guidance," it states. Similarly, lifts and stairs lack certain accessibility features.

Elaborating on the findings, Mallikarjuna Iytha, founder, IDEA said that "every day facilities such as canteens, drinking water points and toilets are frequently inaccessible. For instance, level differences, obstructed pathways and lack of accessible routes rest-rict entry to canteens, while no toilets are accessible in certain areas, severely impacting usability."

The report also draws from 2023 Centre for Research and Planning (CRP) report of Su-preme Court that offered a critical reframing of courtroom accessibility in India. The report had highlighted that barriers persist across the entire user journey from ntry points and security checks to internal navigation and the courtroom itself.

On accessibility in district courts in India, the paper cites the 2023 report which had said that more than 50% of district court complexes did not have ramps. There was availability of wheelchairs at 25% of court complexes, tactile paving to as-sist persons with visual impairments at just 5%, separate disabled-friendly toilets at 30% of complexes and sign language interpreters to assist persons with hearing impairment in accessing court proceedings were there in just 2.8% of districts.

Against this backdrop, the research paper makes wide ranging recommendations, including greater digital inclusion, standardisation and capacity building, to ensure that India's e-courts ecosystem is accessible to all.