Safdarjung Tomb to be disabled-friendly

By Staff Our Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 20.

Delhi's Safdarjung Tomb -- ``the last flicker in the lamp of Moghul architecture in Delhi'' -- is all set to become the country's first disabled-friendly monument. The completion of the envisaged remodeling would perhaps for the first time allow visually and physically disabled persons to gain access and `view' the monument at their own pace and, most importantly, without escort.

The transformation has been gradual. It took an access survey of the monument, identification of `trouble spots' and formulation of suggestion by Samarthya, an NGO working for the promotion of barrier-free environment for disabled, for the problem to be realised and work initiated.

The tomb, built by Nawab Shujaud-Daula for his father Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur Khan, is now all set to be an exemplary experiment. The `turn around' begins at the entrance of the historical Tomb. By early next week, it will have an aluminum plate on which will be engraved the historical background and outlay of the site in Braille. A series of other changes await the monument which would cushion the discomfort of sight-seeing for the disabled.

According to senior officials of the Archeological Survey of India,``Renovation of the Tomb will begin with the addition of the engraved information plate. This would be followed by the resetting the pathway at the entrance gate. The uneven stones had made access difficult for wheel chair and stick users. In case this does not facilitate smooth entry, we propose to put wooden planks. Guiding signs (tiles with raised blocks) pointing to the entrance of the tomb and also at the entry point of the toilets would be put up to facilitate movement within the complex.''

The ``remodeling'' will not stop at that. The toilets at the monuments, are also in the line-up for a change. A ramp would be provided leading to toilets at the site. The proposal includes changing of slippery floor, expanding the door space, toilet areas and also provide appropriate gradient ramp.

``The toilet area would be increased and would be provided with hand bars facilitating easy manoeuvrability for the disabled. This, we hope would be a model experimentation and would soon be followed in phases for various other historical sites,'' claim ASI officials.``We also propose to provide guided tours by trained guides for people with hearing disability,'' he adds.

After the renovation, perhaps, for the first time the blind would be able to touch and feel this marble monument with its highly polished and massively carved tomb. They also would be able to move unassisted through the building and access to the grave spread across 60 feet square by 90 feet high courtyards.

But work for Samarthya does not stop with this. National co- ordiantor for Samarthya, Anjlee Sachdeva, says, ``The disabled have never demanded convenient site-seeing, but we have realised the folly and began work on this. After the Tomb, we now have an access plan study underway for Shastri Bhavan.''

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