NEW DELHI: The Centre has directed all national highway owning and maintenance agencies to ensure
pedestrian facilities for the disabled on stretches falling in urban areas.
The
National Human Rights Commission (
NHRC) recently sought a report from the road transport and highways ministry about the missing facilities. The ministry has asked the agencies to strictly follow the
Indian Roads Congress guidelines so that it can submit an "urgent" report to the human rights body.
The IRC code specifies how footpath and other necessary features should be part of the highway plan when these pass through cities and other urban areas. "But all these years, the authorities have neglected these mandatory aspects only to cut cost. There cannot be any logic why an NH passing through densely populated areas should not provide the facilities for safe passage of pedestrians," said an highway ministry engineer, who did not wish to be named.