Madras HC Issued Directions To Submit Road Map To Purchase Disabled Friendly Buses

Background

• The case is titled "Vaishnavi Jayakumar v. State of Tamil Nadu".
• The Court was hearing a slew of writ petitions calling for the universal use of disabled-friendly buses to protect disabled people's rights.
• In an earlier hearing on July 22, 2021, the Court barred the state government from purchasing new public transportation buses.
• No new purchase could be made unless such buses met the statutory requirements outlined in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules, 2017.

Response of the State

• On August 26, 2021, the State informed the Court that, given the State's economic loss as a result of the pandemic and the State of the city roads, it would be impractical for the State to purchase only disabled-friendly buses on such short notice.
• The Court was also informed that disabled-friendly buses are significantly more expensive than regular buses.

Opinion of the Court

• The Matter was heard by the Madras High Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu.
• The Court dismissed such concerns, stating that the State should have taken appropriate measures to ensure that public buses have disabled-friendly amenities long ago.
• In the general public's interest, the Court ruled that a blanket prohibition on the purchase of buses without disabled-friendly amenities would not be imposed.

Court’s Order

• The Madras High Court issued an order on August 26, 2021, requiring the state government to submit a road map to purchase disabled-accessible buses within four weeks of the ruling.
• The next hearing has been scheduled on September 30, 2021.

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