Facilities for Physically Challenged Veterans

CSD Canteens, Polyclinics, Sainik Boards, Sainik Aramgarh's and other welfare buildings need to have special friendly features incorporated. Few aspects that need attention are highlighted as under:
Access Path/ Walk Way
Access path from the entry and surface parking to Building entrance shall be minimum of 1.8M wide having even surface without any steps. Slope if any. shall not have gradient greater than 5:1. Selection of floor material shall be made suitably to attract or to guide visually impaired persons (limited to coloured floor material whose colour and brightness is conspicuously different from that of the surrounding floor material or the material that emit different sound to guide visually impaired persons here in after referred to as " guiding floor material". Finishes shall have a non slip surface with a texture traversable by a wheel chair Curbs wherever provided should blend to a common level.
Parking
For parking of vehicles of handicapped people the following provisions shall be made.
a) Surface parking for two car Spaces shall be provided near entrance for the physically handicapped persons with maximum travel distance of 30M from building.
b) The width of parking bay shall be minimum 3.60M.
c) The information stating that the space is reserved for wheel chair users shall be conspicuously displayed.
d) Guiding floor materials shall be provided or a device which guides visually impaired persons with audible signals or other devices which serves the same purpose shall be provided.
BUILDING REQUIREMENTS
The specified facilities for the building for physically handicapped persons shall be as follows.
1. Approach to plinth level
2. Corridor connecting the entrance exit for the handicapped.
3. Stair-ways.
4. Lift.
5. Toilet.
6. Drinking water.
Approach to plinth level
Every building should have at least one entrance accessible to the handicapped and shall be indicated by proper signage. This entrance shall be approached through a ramp together with the stepped entry.
Ramped Approach
Ramp shall be finished with non slip material to enter the building minimum width of ramp shall be 1.8M with maximum gradient 1:12. Length of ramp shall not exceed 9.0M. having 0.8M high hand rail on both sides extending 0.3M beyond top and bottom of the ramp. Minimum gap from the adjacent wall to the hand rail shall be 5cms.
Stepped Approach
For stepped approach size of tread shall not be less than 0.3M. and maximum riser shall be 15cm. Provision of 0.8M high hand rail on both sides of the stepped approach similar to the ramped approach.
Exit Entrance Door
Minimum clear opening of the entrance door shall be 0.9M and it shall not be provided with step that obstructs the passage of a wheel chair and user threshold shall not be raised more than 1.2cm.
Entrance Landing
Entrance landing shall be providing adjacent to ramp with the minimum dimension 1.8Mx2M. The entrance landing that adjoin the top end of a slope shall be provided with floor materials to atract the attention of visually impaired persons (limited to coloured floor material whose colour and brightness is conspicuously different from that of the surrounding floor material or the material that emit different sound to guide visually impaired persons hereinafter referred to as "guiding floor material".
Finishes shall have a non slip surface with a texture travarsable by a wheel chair. Curbs wherever provided should to a common level.
Corridor connecting the entrance/ exit for the handicapped
The corridor connecting the entrance exit for handicapped leading directly outdoors to a place where information concerning the overall use of the specified building can be provided to visually impaired persons either by a person or by signs shall be provided as follows.
a) "Guiding floor materials" shall be provided or devices that emit sound guide to visually impaired persons.
b) The minimum width shall be 1.5M.
c) in case there is a difference of level slope ways shall be provided with a slope of 1: 12
d) Hand rails shall be provided for ramps slope ways.
Stair ways
On of the stair - ways near the entrance exist for the handicapped shall have the following provisions:
a) The minimum width shall be 1.350M.
b) Height of the riser shall not be more than 15cm. and width of the tread 30cm. The steps shall not have abrupt (square) nosing.
c) Maximum number of risers on a flight shall limited to 12.
d) Hand rails shall be provided on both sides and shall extend 30cm on the top and bottom of each flight on steps.
Lifts
wherever lift is required as per bye-laws. provision of at least one lift shall be made for the wheel chair user with the following cage dimensions of lift recommended for passenger lift of 13 persons capacity.
Clear internal depth 1100mm.
Clear internal width 2000mm.
Entrance door width 900mm.
a) A hand rail not less than 60cm long at 100cm above floor level shall be fixed adjacent to the control panel.
b) The lift lobby shall be of an inside measurement of 1800x1800 mm or more.
c) The time of an automatically closing door should be minimum 5 seconds and the closing speed should not exceed 0.25 sec.
d) The interior of the cage shall be provided with a device that audibly indicates the floor the cage has reached and indicates that the door of the cage for entrance exit is either open or closed.
Toilets
One special W.C. in a set of toilet shall be provided for the use of handicapped with essential provision of wash basin near the entrance for the handicapped.
a) The minimum size shall be 1000x1750 mm.
b) Minimum clear opening of the door shall be 900 mm. and the door shall be swing out
c) Suitable arrangement of vertical horizontal hand rails with 50 mm clearance from wall shall be made in the toilet.
d) The W.C. seat shall be 500 mm from the floor.
Drinking Water
Suitable provision of drinking water shall be made for the handicapped near the special toilet provided for them.
Designing for Children
In the buildings meant for the predominant use of the children. it will be necessary to suitably alter the height of the hand-rail and other fittings & fixtures.
Related reading
QMG lays down priority for Physically Challenged Veterans