HC seeks Centre, AAP govt's reply on maintaining tactile paths

The Delhi High Court today sought a reply from the Centre and the AAP government on a plea seeking removal of encroachments and maintaining of tactile pavements in the national capital.
A bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also issued notice to Delhi Police and the civic bodies here on a plea highlighting the difficulties faced by visually impaired people due to encroachment on tactile paths.
The petitioner, a student of Delhi University, told the court that an urgent direction is necessary so that visually impaired people have the dignity and independence to move around freely and without any obstruction.

The court has sought a status report before November 14, the next date of hearing.
Petitioner Himanshu Goswami, through his counsel Vishal Ranjan, submitted in the court that encroachments hamper free and safe movement of visually impaired people and in fact defeat the purpose for which these tactile pavements, designed to be perceived by touch, were built.
Seeking an order to the authorities to consider introducing tactiles at public places and in other parts of the city for the benefit of visually impaired people, the plea has sought to clear tactile paths of encroachments by unauthorised vendors and food vans.

It has also sought building of tactile pavements in Delhi University.
"In absence of effective implementation of the scheme as regards tactile pavement, the beneficial legislation enacted by Parliament has remained a toothless tiger.
"There is an imperative need that such tactile pavements are developed in different areas which would be one of the major steps in introducing facilities for visually impaired people," the petition said, adding, "No vehicular parking should be allowed there.