Wednesday, October 13, 2010

CWG Tickets for disabled sold out, but no disabled spectator found!


Dear Friends,

Disabled don't even come on their thought radar forget about taking affirmative actions. The event management agencies, government departments who plan events and similarly placed authorities need to take in to account the accessibility needs when they are planning any such event.

"Tickets Sold" is an easy answer to escape their duties but it is not sustainable in long run. The CWG is answerable to public as to where did the tickets go when no disabled spectators were seen in the events. Either these tickets were sold out to non-disabled spectators at a premium by vested interests or were just thrown away to in scrap only to be picked up the scrap dealer! This is height of non-accountability.
regards
Subhash

Click here to read from source: One token ticket booth for them no fair play

NEW DELHI: Getting a ticket for any Commonwealth Games event is a challenge. And, to get a ticket in the disabled category is a bigger challenge as the only counter at STC Building on Tolstoy Marg is not disabled-friendly. Parved Ahmed, who had gone to STC building to buy a ticket for the power lifting event in the para-sports category, said there was no special parking facility for disabled people. ''They asked us to park at the NDMC parking near Palika Bazaar as parking at the building is reserved for offices,'' he said. 

The ramp outside the building is too steep and no person on wheelchair can climb it without assistance. Even if one manages to reach the building, getting to the ticket counter is next to impossible for any disabled person. There is no separate counter for disabled people at the IRCTC office in STC building. ''They asked us to go inside the office. The doors are narrow and one can't take the wheelchair inside. For people like us, they should have made a counter outside, where we can easily take our wheelchair,'' said Suverna, who had come for tickets for the table tennis competition. 

Like Ahmed and Suverna, there are many people who are facing problems getting tickets for various events. ''We had to buy general category tickets for the swimming competition as we were told that tickets for disabled people have been sold. But to our surprise, the entire stand for disabled people was empty. If tickets are sold out, then where are the spectators?'' asked a spectator, Pradeep. 

NGOs working for the welfare of disabled people are also upset. ''Why can't disabled people buy tickets at the Games venues? There is no information for them at any venue,'' said Javed Abidi, honorary director, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP). 

NCPEDP is planning to ask the Delhi government and organising committee to involve NGOs in the smooth distribution of tickets. ''If they want, we can help them in arranging things for disabled people,'' said Abidi.

Read more: One token ticket booth for them no fair play - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/One-token-ticket-booth-for-them-no-fair-play/articleshow/6721916.cms#ixzz12EKctXz5

1 comment:

  1. You are correct on this one. I am of the view that India should not take part in these games. Read my views here. Should India celebrate the CommonWealth Games success

    ReplyDelete

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