Several large movie theaters in India pledge to become accessible

From The Times of India:

PANAJI, India -- The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) has assured that the Marquinez Palace and Inox multiplex will be made disabled-friendly, said Avelino
de Sa, president of the Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG), on May 22.

Addressing a press conference, de Sa informed that DRAG has managed to get the ESG to provide access for the differently-abled and senior citizens at the Marquinez Palace on a temporary basis.

The Marquinez Palace and Inox mulitplex were not accessible to the differently-abled as mandated under Section 44 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 and Article 9 of the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, de Sa said.

"The ESG had promised to provide access for disabled persons at the Marquinez Palace and Inox multiplex by March 31. When they did not comply even by April 30, DRAG filed a contempt petition before the disability commissioner and met the chief secretary Hauzel Haukhum on the issue," the DRAG president said.

" DRAG is also working to get a lift installed at the venue, further we are asking that the Inox multiplex be made disabled friendly at the earliest," de Sa said.

DRAG has also written to the secretary (legislature), and expressed its surprise that the meetings of the ad-hoc committees are being held at places which are not accessible to differently-abled and senior citizens.

Meanwhile, DRAG also informed that the Reserve Bank of India has issued a notification directing all scheduled commercial banks to make their branches and ATM machines easily accessible for the disabled.