Urban managers in Tehran are more socially conscious and upgrading urban infrastructure and services to meet the requirements of physically-impaired people.
According to Hamshahri Online, Mohammad Alikhani, the head of the Transportation Commission of Tehran City Council, practical measures have been taken in the capital city to provide disabled people with more convenient urban services.
“Tehran Municipality has modified 500 kilometers of the city’s sidewalks to meet the needs of the physically-challenged people,” he said.
“A total of 154 elevators at urban metro stations have been repaired to improve accessibility for disabled people.”
Other TM measures include the installation of curbside ramps and route indented prints in 302 bus stops, the establishment of wheelchair ramps on 1,109 buses, the modification of public restrooms at bus terminals and the dedication of 62 passenger vans and 74 buses for the transportation of physically-challenged people.
Alikhani said negotiations are underway with local automakers to design another 800 buses for the use of the disabled.
“TM has set aside 300 billion rials ($1.28 million) for the current year to issue free and discounted credit cards for transit use, as well as 3 trillion rials ($12.87 million) for other urban accessibility programs,” he added.
Explaining the municipality’s plans, the official noted that vocal notification facilities have been set up at several street junctions and transportation hubs for the visually-impaired people.
Disabled people avoid certain urban areas because there is on facility to meet their special needs. Fortunately, the shortcomings are being gradually removed to increase the social presence of disabled citizens.
Foot-Dragging Officials
Kazem Nazmdeh, the head of State Welfare Organization’s Rehabilitation Office, earlier said under 30% of urban and public spaces in Iran are retrofitted for the disabled.
Nazmdeh told the media that efforts to make public facilities more accessible for the disabled had long been ignored.
According to the Statistical Center of Iran, the total number of people with at least one type of disability (physical, hearing, visual and mental) in the country exceeds 11 million, which is 13.5% of the total population of 83 million.
However, those registered by SWO are close to 1.5 million, of which 100,000 have chronic disability and housed in care centers affiliated to the state organization.
"A large number of disabled people live with their families in cities and villages. They are in dire need of specialized and daily care to be able to lead normal lives," he said.
Nazmdeh recommended clearing urban spaces of physical barriers that hamper the movement of the disabled to facilitate their access to shops, banks, cinemas, hospitals and leisure centers.
Providing ramps and stairway lifts, widening doorways, installing automatic doors, providing more lighting and fixing clear signs in public places and buildings are other measures required by the physically- and visually-impaired people.
Last year, Ali Asghar Eynolqozat, a TM official, said following a push from Traffic Police a few years ago, railings were installed in Tehran to prevent bikes from entering sidewalks. However, these railings made the pavements inaccessible to people with disabilities, especially wheelchair users.
As per the directive signed by TM, urban managers were tasked with removing these obstacles.
Urban infrastructures need to be overhauled to make public transportation stations more convenient for persons with disabilities.
Although Eynolqozat acknowledged the hazards of bikers entering sidewalks, he said this does not necessitate the installation of barriers that prevent disabled people from using the pavement.
He, however, noted that the railings are to remain in place in areas like Tehran’s Grand Bazaar where vehicles are banned and bikers offering delivery services flout traffic rules and enter pavements.
The TM official noted that in such areas, railings need to remain in place, but access points are to be set up for wheelchair users.
The official pointed to TM’s efforts for making public transportation services more accessible to disabled people.
“Hopefully, all subway stations in Tehran will be equipped with elevators,” he said.
According to Eynolqozat, from a total of 169 subway stations in Tehran, elevators need to be installed in 49 stations while others are offering this facility.
Tehran Bus Rapid Transit services, officially inaugurated in 2008, are also being modified to facilitate the movement of disabled people. Ramps are being installed at BRT bus stations to ease access for wheelchair users.
Eynolghozat said bridges will be set up on all open drains across the city.
TM is set to use smart traffic signals designed to improve the flow of traffic to help pedestrians with visual or other disabilities safely cross streets, or even catch a bus.
More Needs to Be Done
Tehran is home to 105,758 disabled people and more needs to be done for making the city more disabled-friendly.
Last year, on the occasion of the International Day of Disabled Persons, observed annually on Dec. 3, 2020, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced that 10 trillion rials ($42.9 million) were allocated to implement measures in support of disabled people nationwide.
Many of the plans focused on modifying urban infrastructures to facilitate their movement and social activities.
Acknowledging the stellar roles of people with disabilities in academic, sports and social fields, the president said, "People with disabilities are distinct from other members of the society in that they live a tougher life and face more restrictions in daily activities."
Rouhani said the government should fulfill its duty toward individuals with disabilities and provide them with equal and fair opportunities for living a normal life.
