Take steps for wheelchair-friendly toilets, washrooms in govt buildings: HC to Maharashtra

The bench passed the order on September 29 in a plea by an organisation of disabled government employees that highlighted the lack of wheelchair-friendly toilets or washrooms in their offices and the problem was more acute in the HC building which has no such single toilet or washroom to be used for such persons.

The court held that the difficulty pointed out by the petitioner was “genuine” and needed to be appropriately addressed by the administration at the earliest.

A division bench of Sunil B Shukre and Justice Firdosh P Pooniwalla was hearing a plea by the Maharashtra Rajya Apang Karmachari Sanstha, argued by advocate Uday Warunjikar.

In June, the high court had noted the difficulties faced by the orthopaedically disabled persons and suggested provision of necessary infrastructure for them.

The court noted that the state government and municipal corporation were required to take appropriate decisions to provide the same and earmark certain funds for wheel-chair friendly toilets.

Additional government pleader Abhay L Patki submitted that boosting up of the infrastructure has to be done for all government buildings in the entire state, and hence needed more time to gather necessary information after which the facilities can be provided.

The court said that while it understood the “enormity” of the task, the government as well as the municipal corporation shall place on record effective steps taken by them so far to redress the issue.

The bench said that since “nothing has moved towards providing relief and respite to physically challenged government employees and visitors despite the matter being pending since 2021, it was required to put a ‘time limit’ on authorities to complete the task”.

The HC asked the state and civic body to complete the entire exercise of ascertaining requirements across government buildings within eight weeks and submit a report to the court.

The court will hear the matter on December 7.