During a special grievance redress meeting, the Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC) submitted a list of demands to District Collector K.J. Praveen Kumar.
A. Balamurugan, District Secretary of TARATDAC, noted that although these meetings are scheduled to occur every three months, the current session was held after a six-month delay.
Taking advantage of the session, Balamurugan said, they raised several long-standing issues, specifically calling for the full implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) to ensure equal access to all public spaces.
Mr. Balamurugan highlighted that numerous public spaces—including government offices, bus stands, malls, and hospitals—still lack essential accessibility features like ramps with handrails and proper communication systems.
He specifically pointed to the Periyar Bus Stand, where the toilets remain inaccessible to wheelchair users. “These cannot be dismissed as mere construction defects,” he noted, “as State-built public facilities are legally mandated to comply with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.”
