The Metro Express Ltd is a light rail public transport system in Mauritius. It has been in operation for over the last couple of years. As one of the newest institutions which falls under the state, the public expects it to meet certain pre set standards. One of which remains its accessibility and how far it is inclusive to ensure persons with disabilities are provided with the same level of comfort as any other passenger.
From provision of parking bays:
The recently inaugurated Vacoas station has been equipped with 25 dedicated parking bays for Persons with Disabilities. However its real time accessibility towards the Metro Station needs to be audited and tested with users having different disabilities and how comfortable it is and ease of access it has to different individuals.
Metro Express Limited (MEL) website states its facilities as follows:
ACCESSIBILITY
- Ramp access for wheelchairs
- Pedestrians’ and pavements’ access
- Bicycle racks
- Stairs
- Escalators
- Lifts (Available in Rose-Hill Central and Coromandel stations only)
- 2 places with safety rails reserved for wheelchair users and, if available, for parents with pushchairs
Over the course of time and to ensure the users are well accustomed; it is primordial to have individuals with disabilities into participating with decisions relating to persons with disabilities and their convenience in using the Metro Express Limited (MEL) services.
Otherwise it shall be the services devised for the mass and it has been altered to be used by persons with disabilities, just to address the minimum possible.
On the overall: comfortable and hassle free access is a continuous process where stakeholders should ensure we have a certain benchmark set into providing services which does not exclude certain cohort.
Author Soovan Sharma DOOKHOO
Soovan Sharma Dookhoo 