In 2015, if we are dreaming of an ideally Accessible India, it is important that we build disabled-friendly toilets to meet the needs of special people. If we look at statistics, around 80 percent of the people with disabilities live in the developing countries. As we narrow down to India, 2.68 crore of the differently-abled people live here according to 2011 census. The country also has the highest number of visually impaired people in the world, i.e. 12 million.

The statistics raise an alarm and the need of the hour is to break down the architectural barriers and let open our hearts to those who need special care and attention. We need to create a barrier-free environment so that they do not feel intimidated owing to their mobility restrictions. An empathic way of thinking from their viewpoints and creating an inclusive infrastructure that supports their needs can be a solution.

Breaking the Architectural Barriers

How many times do we come across disabled-friendly infrastructure in daily lives? Many times we see public spaces like bus stands, ATMs, shopping malls, public toilets lack ramps, signage, Braille print, railings, slip resistant flooring, accessible toilets and more. This kind of infrastructural inclusion can help the differently-abled to be at ease and perform their routines with minimum support.

 Considering the importance of infrastructural amendments, it’s the time to acknowledge the needs of people with disabilities and break such barriers. Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan, a special school for differently-abled, keeps interests of its students in mind with its disabled-friendly infrastructure.

 Disabled-Friendly Campus

The school’s campus is designed intelligently to suit the different needs of differently-abled. The school has spacious ramps to facilitate the wheelchair movement across the building. This helps children move through the school complex for different therapies, classrooms and check-ups. Also to note, the school has accessible toilets designed to suit their special needs.

 Disabled-Friendly Toilets

As a necessity, toilets for special children require special provisions. At MBCN, we have included every essential element to support the students of special needs. Here, students with different levels of disabilities come and gain a new way of life. Understanding their needs, the school has designed toilets with low height as well as normal height. So, this ways, we try to give them a hygienic and safe sanitary experience.

 The bathrooms at the school campus are spacious so that children on wheelchair can also use them easily. Special provisions of grab bars and slat bars are included in the toilets to increase safe accessibility for people with a variety of disabilities or mobility challenges.

 Low-height washbasins are also a feature of these disabled-friendly toilets. This provides our students with a hygienic toilet experience. For others, washbasins have a stand to help students reach and wash their hands easily. Trained support staff is always present in the toilets to assist children.

 With this initiative, Mata Bhagwanti Chadha Niketan has set-up an example to achieve inclusion for differently-abled in an intelligent way. Besides rehabilitation for disabled, the school is facilitating a vision for an ‘all-inclusive society’ in a friendly and adapted environment.