Making the AMRUT parks universally

accessible and inclusive

Recommendations presented to
Commissioner
Madurai Municipal Corporation

by

2 C, Baywatch Apts, 20, New Beach Road, Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai 600041
98807 42028
www.kilikili.org
https://inclusiveplayindia.wordpress.com/home/
https://www.facebook.com/kilikilifanpage/
11th Nov 2016

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 Making the AMRUT parks universally accessible and inclusive
This document offers concise guidelines on making the parks under the AMRUT Scheme universally
accessible and inclusive i.e develop them in such a way that all people with or without disabilities can use
them.

The document draws the guidelines from those issued by Government of India, Ministry of Urban
Development in February 2016 in the document Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standards for
Barrier Free Built Environment for People with Disabilities and Elderly Persons1.

It also draws on the Kilikili document Breaking Barriers Through Play: Policy Guidelines and a Technical
Manual for making Play Spaces Inclusive.

This document lists the following features which are essential for a park to be rendered inclusive. Each of
these features are detailed in the document with technical specifications and diagrams.

Features of an Inclusive Park

1. Accessible entrance and parking
2. Accessible pathways
3. Accessible play space
4. Accessible toilets
5. Accessible drinking water
6. Accessible communication – Signage, Tactile Map
7. Accessible pagoda or covered areas

All the above features need to be incorporated in each of the AMRUT parks.

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For more details, please refer
http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Harmonised%20guidelinesd%20released%20on%202
3rd%20March%202016_compressed.pdf

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 Feedback on designs of all parks

In general, our feedback on the designs for the parks is as follows:

1. Too little space for play in all parks, in some such as Aanaiyur, none at all. We recommend that
50% of each park be reserved for play with a variety of inclusive play equipment and open
spaces
2. Too much space reserved for landscape and lawns – can be reduced as they demand
maintenance, reduce area for other multiple uses by multiple groups, consumes huge amounts
of water
3. The circular seating in Duraiswamy Nagar park is quite huge. People may not sit in such a large
circle. May be better to break up seating across the park to disperse the crowds.
4. In Ellis Nagar, could decrease the walking area.
5. Accessibility features to be incorporated. This document gives the features required with the
specifications.
6. Accessible toilets and drinking water facilities in all parks.

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 Features of an Inclusive Park
I. Accessible entrance and parking
 A ramp is essential when the access to the park is at a different level from the park.
 Provide accessibility by both steps and ramps

Ramps
Width

 The minimum clear width of a ramp should be 1200 mm for a ramp length of 3.6 metres

Slope Gradient

 1:12
 The recommended gradients for ramps are below

Level difference Minimum Ramp Width Handrail on Comments

gradient of Ramp both sides

≥ 150 mm ≤ 300 1:12 1200 mm √

mm

≥ 300 mm ≤ 750 1:12 1500 mm √ Landings every 5 meters

m of ramp run.
≥ 750 mm ≤ 1:15 1800 mm √ Landings every 9 meters
3000mm of ramp run

≥ 3000 mm 1:20 1800 mm √ Landings every 9 meters

of ramp run.

Surface

 should be slip resistant

 Outdoor ramps should prevent water from accumulating on the walking surfaces

Hand rails

A ramp run with a vertical rise greater than 150 mm should have handrails that:

 are on both the sides

 have two levels
 upper at 850 mm-900 mm and lower at 700 mm
 both ends to be rounded and grouted
 are placed at a height of between 760 mm and 900 mm above the floor level

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Warning blocks

 Single row of tactile warning blocks should be placed at beginning and end of each ramp - Please
see Pages 7-9.

Accessible Parking
 There shall be reserved parking for persons with disability within 30m of accessible entrances.
 The accessible car parking lot should
o Have minimum dimensions 5000 mm×3600 mm
o Have a firm, level surface without aeration slabs
o Wherever possible, be sheltered.

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 II. Accessible Pathways
Pathways should

 be smooth, hard and have levelled surface suitable for walking and wheeling
 Not have irregular surfaces as cobble stones, coarsely exposed aggregate concrete, bricks etc.
 Have a minimum walk way width for two way traffic of 1800mm. However, in exceptional cases
(such as around trees/poles etc.); the width could be 1500mm.
 not have a gradient exceeding 1:20
 have tactile pavers or warning blocks – Please see Pages 7-9.
 no gratings or manholes

Seating

 benches at 30 metre intervals when walks exceed 60 meter in

 seat height should be between 450 mm-500 mm,
 seat should have a backrest and
 should have hand rests at 700 mm height.

Width

 Minimum width of the walkway should be 1800 mm

Surface

 non-slip material and different from rest of the area

Lighting

 should be provided every 20 – 30m

 lighting fixtures should not exceed a height of 4m from ground level
 A whiter light source, for example high-pressure sodium, is preferable in city and town centers
for better colour definition, which benefits those with poor sight
 the lighting pole should not interfere with the clearance of the walkway
 Light pole may preferably be located within the tree-planting zone
 Lower level light poles are preferred to avoid shadow where there are high trees

Level changes, gratings

 vertical level changes up to 6 mm may not need edge treatment.

 Changes in level between 6 mm and 12 mm should be leveled off with a slope no greater than
1:2.
 To prevent a wheelchair from getting its casters caught in a drainage ditch or grating cover,
install grating with narrow slots not more than 10mm wide, perpendicular to the direction of
movement.
 Grating should be flushed with finished ground level.
 Treat the grating with a non-slip finish

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 Barriers and hazards

 Obstacles such as lighting columns, bollards, signposts, seats and trees, should be located at or
beyond the boundaries of walkways.

 Where unavoidable, protruding objects

o should not reduce the clear width of an accessible route or maneuvering space.
o should contrast visually with the background environment

 Free-standing columns that support an entrance canopy and low level posts, e.g. bollards,
o should not be positioned within the width of an access route
o should incorporate a band of 200 mm, between heights of 1400 mm and 1600 mm from
the walkway floor finish, and which contrasts visually with the remainder of the post or
column.

 Bollards should be avoided but where necessary

o be at least 1000 mm high,
o provide a wheelchair passage width of at least 900 mm (Figure 5-5),
o and should not be linked with chains.

 Objects projecting with the lower edge of the projection at or below 300 mm and upper edge of
the projection minimally 1200 mm above the finished walk surface are detectable by the white
cane, and these may protrude into the walks to an extent that allows wheelchair passage

 Objects mounted with their leading edges between 300 mm and 2200 mm above the finished
walk surface should not protrude more that 100 mm into the walks.

 Hazard protection should be provided if

o objects project more than 100 mm into an access route and their lower edge is more
than 300 mm above the ground.
o should take the form of a kerb or other solid barrier so that person with visual
impairment can detect the hazard using a cane.
o should not extend beyond the front edge of the object, nor should it be set back more
than 100 mm from its front edge.

Tactile pavers: guiding & warning blocks

Tactile pavers are of two kinds – guiding and warning. They are used by people with visual impairment
to walk with ease and safety.

Tactile guiding blocks (Line-type)

This block indicates a correct path/route to follow for a person with visual impairment.

 One/two rows of tactile guidance tiles along the entire length of the proposed accessible
pathway should be installed

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 Warning Blocks and Guiding Blocks

 There should be no obstacles, such as trees, poles or uneven surfaces, along the route traversed
by the guidance blocks
 There should be clear headroom of at least 2.1 meters height above the tactile guidance blocks,
free of protruding objects such as overhanging tree branches and signage, along the entire
length of the walk.

Tactile warning blocks (Dot-type)

This block serves to warn people with visual impairment of an approaching potential hazard or a change
in direction of the walkway (corner or junction).

 Two rows of tactile warning tiles should be installed across the entire width of the designated
accessible pathway, before intersections, obstacles such as trees, and each time the walkway
changes direction
 Warning blocks should be placed 300mm at the beginning and end of the ramps and stairs,
entrance to any door.

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III. Inclusive Play Space
The park should

 have an inclusive play space that has play equipments that can be used by children with and
without disabilities
 follow the other accessibility guidelines mentioned in the rest of the document such as accessible
pathways, signages etc.
 40- 50% of the park space should be reserved for the Inclusive Play Space.

The inclusive play space should be divided into separate zones

Since play needs of children change as they grow, the play space should be divided so that it addresses
the needs of all children.

 for toddlers and young children – 0-6 years – with inclusive equipments such as slides, swings etc.
 for older children 6-12 years – not too many equipments but open spaces for running games etc.
 for adolescents – 12-18 years – space to play games such as cricket, basketball etc.

Location

The inclusive play space should have easy access to toilet and water facilities

Inclusive Play equipment

The play space should have inclusive play equipment i.e equipments that can be used by children with
disabilities as well as children without disabilities. These would include:

 Movement activities like swings, slides and jungle gyms

 Activities that promote balance, such as balancing rods and tandem walk
 Climbing activities such as rope ladders
 Activities that foster spatial development, such as the merry-goround
 Activities that provide tactile (touch) stimulation on hands and feet
 Activities that are sound-based

In addition, there should be

 Sufficient sand and grass in the play space for children below 6 years
 Open spaces for group play such as catch and throw, hop scotch, tag, etc.
 open space for sport activities such as cricket, basketball, football, etc with appropriate
modifications to make the equipment disabled-friendly. For instance, for basketball, the
hoops may be at two levels so that those who use wheelchairs can also play.
 Sheltered spaces that can be used for activities such as art, craft, reading, etc.

For more details and specifications on equipments, please refer to the Kilikili document: Breaking Barriers
Through Play: Policy Guidelines and a Technical Manual for making Play Spaces Inclusive. This was
submitted to the Commissioner when we met him.

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 IV. Accessible Toilets
Toilet Cubicle

The toilet cubicle for an accessible toilet should

 Have minimum internal dimensions of 2200 X 2000 mm minimum

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 The layout of the fixtures in the toilet should be such that there is a clear maneuvering space of
1800mm x 1800mm in front of the water closet and wash basin in the accessible toilet unit (See
figure below)

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  All fixtures and utilities should provide a clear space of 900mm x 1200 mm for wheelchair users
to access them
 Have clear space of not less than 900 mm wide next to the water closet
 Be equipped with a door complying with specifications below
 Have a water closet complying with specifications below
 Have grab bars complying with specifications below
 Have a wash basin complying with specifications below
 Have essential washroom accessories

Door

 The toilet door should be either an outward opening door or two-way opening door or a sliding
type and should provide a clear opening width of at least 900 mm
 Be provided with a horizontal pull-bar, at least 600 mm long, on the inside of the door, located
so that it is 130 mm from the hinged side of the door and at a height of 1000 mm.
 Be capable of being locked from the inside by a device that is operable by one hand, activated
by a force not more than 22N and which does not require fine finger control, tight grasping,
pinching or twisting of the wrist.

Water Closet

 Should be located between 460 mm to 480 mm from the centreline of the water closet to the
adjacent wall
 should have a clear dimension of 750 mm from the front edge of the water closet to the rear
wall to facilitate side transfer
 The top of the water closet seat should be 450 to 480 mm from the floor as shown in the figure
on page 11. When the water closet does not have the required height, the necessary height may
be obtained by providing a circular base under the water closet. The base so provided must not
protrude beyond the circumference of the base of the water closet
 There should be an adequate clear floor space of at least 1350 mm depth and 900 mm width,
both in front and on the transfer side, adjacent to the water closet
 Have a suitable back support to reduce the chance of imbalance or injury caused by leaning
against exposed valves or pipes
 Preferably be of wall-hung or corbel type as it provides additional space at the toe level
 Where water cistern is used, the cover should be securely attached
 The flush control
o should either be lever type or automatic, and
o located on the transfer side of the water closet
o should not be located more than 1000 mm from the floor

 Water Closet Grab Bars

o Water closets should be provided with grab bars
o Grab bars should be mounted at a height between 200 mm and 250 mm from the water
closet seat

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o One L-shape grab bar: 600mm long horizontal and 700mm long vertical should be
mounted on the side wall closest to the water closet
o A hinged type horizontal grab bar should be installed adjacent to the water closet; at a
distance of 320 mm from the centre-line of the WC, between heights of 200 mm - 250
mm from the top of the water closet seat and extending 100 to 150 mm beyond the
front of the water closet
o Grab Bars Grab bars/ rails
 should be manufactured from a material which contrasts with the wall finish (or
use dark tiles behind light coloured rails
 be not too warm/cold to the touch
 provide good grip.
 should be adequately fixed, since considerable pressure will be placed on the
rail during maneuvering.
 be slip-resistant with round ends
 preferably have knurled surfaces
 have a circular section of 38-45 mm in diameter
 be free of any sharp or abrasive elements
 have a minimum clear space of 50 mm from the wall
 be installed at a height of 760 mm to 900 mm
 be able to bear a weight of 250 kg.

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Urinals

 At least one of the urinals in the Gents toilets on each floor should have grab bars installed on
each side and in the front of the urinal to support those who use crutches. The front bar is to
provide chest support; the sidebars are for the user to hold on to while standing.
 Urinals shall be stall-type or wall-hung, with an elongated rim at a maximum of 430 mm above
the finish floor
 A clear floor space 760 mm by 1220 mm should be provided in front of urinals to allow forward
approach.
 Flush controls should be located not more than 1200 mm from the floor.

Taps

 Taps should be hand-operated or electronically controlled.

 Hand-operated taps should
o be operable by one hand

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o require no tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist
o require a force less than 22 N to activate
o have handles of lever type (not self-closing) operable with a closed fist (Figure below)
o To cater for visually impaired people, controls should be colour-contrasted with the
surrounding face plate panel and the face plate should similarly contrast with the
background wall on which it is mounted.
o To aid operation for people with impaired co-ordination or impaired sight, switches, etc.
should have large push plates, operable by one hand.

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Signage of accessible toilets

 All unisex accessible toilets should have signage

 For individual accessible cubicles in Ladies and Gents toilets are provided signage as per image
below should be provided.
 All general toilets should have male pictogram in triangle or female pictogram in circle, marked
on plates with raised alphabets and Braille put on wall next to door latch.

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V. Accessible drinking water
Drinking Water Fountain

 Two drinking facilities at different heights- is very convenient for standing adults, people in
wheelchairs and children
 Drinking water taps should:
o have a clear floor space of at least 900mm x 1200mm as shown in figure below
o have a clear knee space between the bottom of the apron and floor or ground of at least
750mm wide, 200mm deep and 680mm high as shown in figure below
o have a toe space not less than 750mm wide, 230mm high
o have a water glass provision
 Drinking water provision in an alcove is preferred, because it does not create a hazard for
persons with visual impairments
 Specification for taps should follow those listed on pages 15-16

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VI. Signage
 All sign boards and direction boards inside the park and play space should be in the local language,
English and in Braille (English and local language)

 Provide embossed and tactile signage at significant points.

o The letters and signs should preferably be raised or etched at least 1 mm from the
`background, to enable sightless people to read the information using their fingers.
o Raised characters shall be at least 15 mm high, but not higher than 50 mm.

 Provide layout maps - tactile, pictorial and with words

 Accessible spaces and facilities should be identified by the international symbol of accessibility i.e.
the wheelchair figure.

 Signboards should follow the guidelines below:

o Clear messages in simple fonts
o Use both upper and lower cases
o Avoid use of full stop
o Minimum character size should be 150mm
o Use standard legible fonts such as Arial, Avant Garde, Times New Roman, Helvetica Medium
and Futura
o Avoid italics or script texts and decorative and fancy typefaces

 Size of Signage

The norms for the size of distance as per the viewing distance is as follows:

Viewing Distance Size of signage

Up to 7 meters 60 mm x 60 mm
7 meters– 8 meters 100mm x 100 mm
Exceeding 8 meters 200 mm x 200 mm to 450 mm x
450 mm

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 Size of Letters in Signage

o Characters and numbers on signs shall be sized according to the viewing distance from which
they are to be read. The smallest letter type should not be less than 15 mm. Symbols should be
at least 100 mm in height

Viewing Distance Height of letters

2 - 3 meters 15 mm
6 meters 20 mm
8 meters 25 mm
12 meters 40 mm
15 meters 50 mm
25 meters 80 mm
35 meters 100 mm
40 meters 130 mm
50 meters 150 mm

o Letters and numbers on signs shall have a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and a
stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10

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 Colours on signboard
o Since in a park, there is a lot of green in the background, use white background for sign
surface and black, blue or green typeface

 Signage material
o should be non-reflective, preferably matt finish
o should have non-glary and non-glossy surface.
o should be no glare on the signage surface
o do use easy-to-maintain, durable material such as wood, acrylic, Aluminum Composite Panel.

 Placement of Signage
o Maps and information panels at entrance, along roads and on public buildings should be placed
at a height between 900 mm and 1800 mm.
o Overhanging signs should allow a minimum clearance of 2000 mm to allow a visually impaired
person to pass safely

 Types of Signs
o Information Signs
 location signs, sign directories, maps
 Rectangular
o Direction Signs
 direct the user to a destination with arrow marks aiding the text
o Warning (Safety) Signs
 fire exit signs, safety signs, etc.
 Triangular

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VII. Accessible pagoda or covered areas
The park should have some covered areas that can be used for multiple purposes such as art and craft
corners for children, meditation space, meetings for adults etc.

These should be completely accessible with

 Ramps
 Railings
 Signages
 Tactile pavers

which have been detailed in earlier sections.

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