JNU, Delhi University get funds for making campuses friendly for the disabled
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Delhi University have claimed to have started work approximately three months after the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment released Rs 11.6 crore to the two universities for “developing disabled-friendly infrastructure”.
Bipin Tiwari, who is in charge of DU’s Equal Opportunity Cell, said funds would be utilised for making the campus more accessible as part of the university’s “larger plan to revamp the campus”.
Tiwari said the major obstacle could be the main roads on the campuses because “these are under the jurisdiction of civic agencies”. The colleges could be turned into 100 % disabled-friendly, but the roads might “still be a problem” for the students, he said.
“We cannot touch the roads. Therefore, the PWD will have to cooperate with us,” he said.
Ramps, toilets for wheelchair-users, Braille signages, voice signals in elevators and tactile tiles are some of the facilities to be built with the money allocated to the universities.
Pankaj Joshi, Joint Secretary in the ministry, said Rs 8.51 crore has been released to JNU for accessibility-related work in its 62 buildings and Rs 3.11 crore to DU for 80 buildings in its North and South Campus. These include administrative and academic blocks, libraries, hostels, guesthouses and conference centres.
Joshi said funds have been allotted in accordance with proposals from the two universities and “do not necessarily cover expenses for a revamp of the entire campus”.
JNU Vice-Chancellor S K Sopory said a committee has been constituted to “seek expert advice” on the plans to make the campus disabled-friendly. “Once we finalise the plans, we will float tenders,” he said.
He said the proposal include major changes and the construction could take “close to a year”.
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