India’s first park for persons with disabilities to open in Hyderabad today

HYDERABAD: The Louis Braille Park for persons with disabilities, first of its kind in India, that has been set up at the BN Reddy Nagar, Nalgonda crossroads will be inaugurated today by Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister KT Rama Rao. The park has been developed in an area of 1.03 acres and aims to create a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities while also providing them with facilities like physiotherapy, medicinal plants and other recreational material. 

The space has been designed for easy access by those using wheelchairs, who have limited walking abilities, who are blind and also for hearing impaired. People with mental or functional disabilities or those with conditions like epilepsy are also likely to benefit from the initiative, say authorities. 
Built at a cost of `1.77 crore, the park has been divided into two zones — recreation and therapy. Its key features include an amphi-theatre, therapy block, sensory theatre, lawns and centres for art, music therapies and counselling. 

The park has come up in land handed over to the Disabled Welfare Association as compensation for their area that was utilised by the GHMC for construction of a flyover at Nalgonda crossroads a few years ago. 
The GHMC had sanctioned `66.2 lakh for procurement of equipment needed for the sensory blocks through select NGO. Another `38 lakh was sanctioned to equip the blocks for hearing impaired, mental disabilities and visually impaired persons. A total of `28.2 lakh per annum has been fixed for the maintenance of the park of which 75 per cent will be borne by GHMC while 25 per cent will come from NGOs that express interest. 

A monitoring committee would be formed to check recurring expenses which will be sanctioned on monthly basis, said officials. The committee will include the local MLA, zonal commissioner of south zone, additional commissioner, UCD director, disabled welfare and vikalangula corporation, three members from FED, and a designated delegate from the NIMH/NIPH. Apart from the park, Minister will also unveil the statue of Sir Louis Braille on Friday.