The All Kerala Wheelchair Rights Federation started a campaign on 16
October to make all tourist locations in the state accessible and disabled
friendly. They started off with Athirapally and nearby Vazhachal and
Thumboormozhi. Accompanied by officials, members of AKWRF visited all the
three places to point out how they can be made more accessible for tourists
on wheelchairs.
The All Kerala Wheelchair Rights Federation (AKWRF), an
organisation that works towards empowering wheelchair users in the state, has
been working on many activities in the past couple of years. Now, they are
geared up towards ensuring that all tourist locations in Kerala are made
accessible and disabled-friendly.
Athirapally, one of the most prominent tourist locations is
where AKWRF members are currently working on. They also visited adjacent
Vazhachal and Thumboormuzhi. On 16
October, members from across Kerala started a campaign to make these
places accessible at the earliest.
AKWRF members pointed out that they had a lot of support from the local
forest officials who assured that speedy action and necessary steps will be
taken at the earliest. All the members went in their wheelchairs to tourist
destinations accompanied by officials. Reportedly, the initial works to
create wheelchair ramps and pathways has already begun.
Rajeev Palluruthy, Secretary, AKWRF is hopeful that the
officials will make decisions and implement them without further delays.
In the coming days, we are going to focus on tourist locations at each
district of Kerala and will give petitions to concerned authorities. When
we visited these places we realised that there are no pathways for
wheelchair users to get there. We also want a wheelchair at the main
entrance so that if someone comes without their wheelchairs, they cans
still enter. There must also be accessible restrooms and wheelchair ramps.
These are our basic rights that the government must ensure-Rajeev
Palluruthy, Secretary, AKWRF.
Other members of AKWRF team including Vasunni Pattazhi, Zakeer
Hussain, Badarusaman, and Riyas were also present
to start off the campaign. “We visited three locations and have informed
officials of what we need. A wheelchair user must be able to witness beauty
of the place without any hassles. Currently, due to inaccessibility, we are
unable to fully enjoy it”, says Kavitha Keshavan, Secretary, Thrissur
wing.
Lately, there has been widespread criticism that tourists with disabilities
who visit famous locations in Kerala are unable to experience its beauty
fully due to inaccessibility. Since the holiday season is nearing, officials
are also gearing up to ensure accessible and disabled friendly tourist spots.
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