PANAJI: The Bombay high court on Wednesday sought replies from the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC), department of social welfare, and other authorities in a PIL by a 32-year-old blind man, seeking directions to make Kadamba buses accessible, including providing audible announcement systems in all such buses and bus stands.A division bench of justices Valmiki Menezes and Hiten Venegavkar said that it is considering enlarging the scope of the PIL to examine the standards and parameters reflected in the Persons with Disabilities Act and Motor Vehicles Act and rules, along with state govt and corporations’ policy towards PwDs.Harish Parab, represented by Chirag Angle under legal aid, filed the PIL seeking directions to operationalise audible announcement systems in all KTC buses in Goa and on intrastate routes and to create facilities for persons with disabilities at bus stops and bus stands in light of the rights of persons with Rights of PwD Act, 2016, as well as make Kadamba buses accessible to wheelchair users by installing ramps.The petitioner, Harish Parab, is also seeking directions to the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) to provide concessional rates for persons with benchmark disabilities even beyond the territorial limits of Goa.Parab was travelling on an electric Kadamba bus from Panaji bus stand to Goa University, but was mistakenly dropped off at the Goa Medical College bus stop due to the audible announcement system being disabled, he stated in his petition.He also raised the issue of KTC not granting subsidised travel to those with benchmark disabilities like himself, for travel outside Goa.His petition also seeks directions to KTC to specifically notify seats reserved for PwDs and pointed out that seats are being reserved on an arbitrary basis without specifying the exact seat numbers reserved for PwDs.The PIL seeks the formation of an independent authority/board which will take all infrastructural measures for providing facilities for PwDs under the Rights of PwD Act, 2016, in consultation with PwDs and their organisations.
