Bombay High Court calls for action against officers responsible for installing bollards on footpaths blocking wheelchair users

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take action against officers and contractors who were involved in installing bollards or poles on footpaths creating hurdles to disabled persons from accessing such footpaths [High Court on its motion v. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation & Anr]..A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor said that the persons responsible for the same should be taken to task.“See the kind of bollards that are installed. How can BMC be so unaware? How can your officers be so unaware? It is not that BMC has not put in effort or used money. The officers who installed this should be taken to task. A person using a wheelchair is unable to pass through it," the Court said.The Court was hearing a case initiated suo motu by it after receiving an email by one Karan Shah pointing out that bollards at the entrance of footpaths had rendered them inaccessible for wheelchair users.The email highlighted that though the bollards were installed to make footpaths safer, it harmed accessibility when it came to wheelchair users..Senior advocate Anil Singh appearing for BMC informed the Court that the civic authority had issued a policy where they would rectify the errors and create distances between two bollards so that a wheelchair could pass through..The bench was informed that BMC had begun surveying all 24 wards to find out which footpaths need rectification. The bench suggested that after finding such defects, the corporation could take action against contractors and concerned BMC officers supervising the work.After Singh informed that BMC has begun implementing its policy, the Court stated it would hear the suo motu petition after a month.“Once the policy decision has already been taken by Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), it is for the authorities of MCGM to follow the same meticulously. We adjourn the matter to be listed after a month. A detailed affidavit shall be filed by MCGM stating herein how the footpath policy is being implemented. Said affidavit shall also enclose the report of the survey being conducted and the steps that would be taken to cure defects so that the differently abled persons and elders may get universal access,” the Court ordered..The petition is likely to be heard next on February 7.