Local bodies in Kozhikode told to audit buildings for accessibility violations

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Local self-government institutions in Kozhikode district have been directed to identify commercial and residential buildings that do not provide adequate accessibility facilities for persons with disabilities and take appropriate action against violations.

Directions have been issued to secretaries of all local self-government institutions to conduct post-occupancy audits of buildings in the wake of rising complaints from various rights activists. Though building plans are approved only after provision is made for facilities such as ramps, barrier-free access, accessible toilets, lifts, and designated parking spaces, there have been instances of such facilities either not being provided after construction or being removed later for other uses.

According to officials, such alterations are in violation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. There have also been complaints that accessibility provisions are not being effectively verified before occupancy certificates are issued. The post-occupancy audits are intended to ensure that the facilities stipulated under building rules are actually available and remain functional.

“The absence of ramps leading to the main entrance, steep or slippery ramps, and the lack of dedicated toilets for persons with disabilities have been highlighted as major concerns,” says one of the complainants from Chelembra who filed the petition with the authorities. In several buildings, designated parking spaces are either not provided or are located away from the entrance, he adds.

Under the prescribed norms, at least 3% of the parking area should be earmarked for persons with disabilities, with each such parking space having a minimum width of 3.6 metres. Lodging buildings are required to provide at least one specially equipped room for every 25 rooms. The norms also require appropriate directional signs and symbols to clearly indicate facilities meant for persons with disabilities.

There are also demands for accessibility audits to be carried out in government offices and other public buildings. Despite campaigns to make government offices barrier-free, some departments have allegedly been negligent in implementing the required measures.

The use of spaces around barrier-free entrances for illegal parking, particularly at tourist destinations, has also drawn protests from persons with disabilities. They have demanded that the police take immediate action against violators, including imposing substantial fines and initiating legal proceedings.

According to some retired building inspectors, inspections in the area had been intensified in the past, with squads including persons with disabilities who were keen to ensure compliance with accessibility norms. Several builders had been asked to rebuild the demolished facilities within the Kozhikode Corporation limits, they recalled.

In some instances, buildings found to have violated the provisions were categorised as unauthorised constructions, and their tax liability was doubled, they say. Occupancy certificates were reissued only after the violations were rectified. Both commercial and residential buildings were found among those flagged for violations, according to the former officials.

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