The New Year is bringing good tidings along with it. The Ministry of Road & Transport has announced that they will be starting equipping buses with facilities for disabled and special needs passengers. From now onwards, physically disabled passengers will be able to avail facilities like priority seats, signs, securing of crutches/canes/walkers, handrail/stanchions. These facilities have come right after buses have been upgraded to be more efficient.
Buses To Be More Disable- Friendly
With these new developments, The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has made amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The new amendments will provide priority seats, signs, securing of crutches/canes/walkers, handrail/stanchions, controls at priority seats, among others for differently-abled people, the ministry said in the release. So far the ministry had only made the efficiency of the buses a focal point but now they are making changes to the interior infrastructure of the buses too.
According to the release, “The draft rules to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 were published vide notification…inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby. The notification has been issued after duly considering the objections and suggestions received from the public in respect of the said draft rules”.
The amendments to the act will be brought into practice from the 1st of March, 2020. It will be mandatory for buses in the country to follow the mandates. This is a great move as a majority of disabled citizens will find it easier to travel by public transport without facing any more inconvenience.