New Parliament promises improved accessibility

Central Vista building to include wheelchair-accessible desks for MPs, accessible public toilets on all floors, 3 entrances with ramps, say architects

An accessibility audit by experts of the new Parliament building, which is scheduled to be completed by October, is underway, according to sources with knowledge of the exercise.

The ramps at the entrances of the under-construction building have been reviewed and the audit process was still on, the sources said.

When asked for a comment on the exercise, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) director Hitesh Vaidya said “the NIUA along with Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee are in discussion with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to facilitate accessibility audit”. The NIUA and a team of IIT-Roorkee have also recently drafted a revised version of universal accessibility guidelines and standards, which, once notified, would succeed the 2016 guidelines issued by the Central Public Works Department.

When asked about the accessibility features of the new Parliament, HCP Design, Planning and Management, the CPWD’s consultant for the Central Vista project, told The Hindu that the 2016 guidelines of the CPWD had been followed. The guidelines cover universal design elements in a building, design of accessible toilets, signages and fire evacuation needs, among other elements.

“All the spaces in the new Parliament building are fully accessible, including Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers. There are dedicated desks in both the chambers where wheelchairs can be parked. The building is accessible through three entrances with ramps and there are well-located elevators throughout the building promoting vertical accessibility,” HCP said in a written response.

The firm added that the building would have designated accessible offices for Ministers and accessible public toilets on all floors. In the existing Parliament House, which was completed in 1927, there is only one accessible entrance with a ramp and no accessible toilets, according to HCP.

The new Parliament, the first of the larger Central Vista redevelopment projects to start, had achieved 44% of its physical targets and cost ₹480 crore as of last month, when the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry informed Rajya Sabha. The Centre’s initial goal was to have the new building ready in time for the 75th Independence Day However the deadline was changed to October, with the aim of holding the Winter Session of Parliament in it.