For 26-year-old Neela Sharma*, a small step inside a government building, where she has been employed for the last six months, takes Herculean effort. While her colleagues march on, she takes her time to negotiate the two stair-steps at the entrance of the building, steadying herself with the help of her artificial leg and without the support of a railing.

This daily ordeal may end for Sharma and over 21 million differently-abled Indians, in the next three years, as the central government has drawn, for the first time, an action plan to provide a barrier-free environment in all major public buildings in the country. Disabled-friendly facilities like an access ramp, toilets, signage and Braille signage lift control will be provided in the Prime Minister Office at South Block by September this year. Similarly, other central government buildings like Nirman Bhawan, Krishi Bhawan, Udyog Bhawan, Shastri Bhawan, Indira Gandhi Museum and National Archives of India will also see these facilities come up this year.

The urban development ministry, which is the nodal ministry for implementation of this action plan, will cajole the states to make amendments to the building bylaws over the next two years to facilitate creation of provisions for the disabled in public buildings.

As a first, the ministry will undertake access audit of around 50 central buildings in Delhi, the work on which has already started. The access audit will identify barriers in the buildings for the disabled such as approach, main gates, parking, building entrance, public dealing areas, signage, lifts, staircase, ramp, toilets, lighting, exit and emergency evacuation facilities.

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