Disabled sports lovers worry about accessibility of Commonwealth Games in India

From The Economic Times:

NEW DELHI, India -- With just 16 days left for the Commonwealth Games, hundreds of disabled sports lovers feel neglected as "adequate disabled-friendly seating arrangements are not available in stadia."

Javed Abidi, convenor of Disabled Rights Group, said: "The Games should give equal opportunity to the disabled people. We have been sidelined right from the initial stage and even the disabled-friendly seating arrangements in the venues are not adequate in number."

He also said that the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) Thursday performed a ticket audit and found that lesser number of disable-friendly seats were available for para sporting events as compared to mainstream sports. Para sporting events draw more disabled spectators than any other events.

"Apart from this, there is only one outlet to buy tickets at Tolstoy Marg, which makes it difficult for a disabled person staying in Saket or Gurgaon. Moreover, the website also doesn't mention anything about parking and transport for people with disabilities," Abidi added.

Outlining the difficulties faced by disabled people, the NCPEDP has sent a letter to Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.