HOUSING THE SPECIALLY-

ABLED PERSONS
Prof. Subodh Shankar
Professor and Dean, Integral University, Lucknow
Vice President, Uttar Pradesh Parents Association for the welfare of Mentally Challenged Citizens
Professor Stephen W Hawking

“Disability need not

be an obstacle to
success. I have had
‘motor neurone’
disease for practically
all my adult life. Yet it
has not prevented me
from having a
prominent career in
astrophysics and a
happy family life.”
Disability Did Not Deter them to Perform their Best
Thomas Edison, Surdas, John Milton, Helen Keelar
 Disability Statistics

 650 million world wide out of which520 million in Developing Nations - United
Nations

 26.8 million in India- 2011 Census

 Percentage of disabled persons in India has increased during the last decade (2.13
% in 2001, 2.21% in 2011)

 Proportion of disabled population is higher in rural areas (2.24%-Rural, 2.17%

Urban)

 Decadal increase in proportion is significant in urban areas. (1.93% in 2001,

2.17 % in 2011)
India has signed and ratified UN convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disability
(UNCRPD) and has enacted ‘The Persons with
Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of
Rights and Full Participation) Act-1995’ and
also a new legislation ‘The Rights of Persons
with Disabilities’ is in the offing
GOI Policy for Preferential Allotment of Houses/ Land to
Persons with Disability (Office Memo. dated 6 October,2006)

 1% Reservation in allotment of Flats and Plots

 Allotment of Flats on Ground Floor

 Allotment on Hire Purchase Basis

 Initial down payment only 25% of total cost (as against 50%
for general Category)

 5% Rebate in cost subject to a ceiling of Rs.1 Lakh

 Cooperative Housing Societies to be given institutional land

at concessional rates
 Uttar Pradesh Government’s Policy on allotment of
Housing for the Disabled

 3% reservation in properties of Housing Board and Development

Authorities- Order dated 27 April, 2001

 10–20% Concession in EWS and LIG Housing

 Full Exemption in Stamp Duty for properties costing up- to

10 Lakh- Order dated 19 December, 2008

 50% to 100% in House and Water Tax – Order dated 09 April,

2012
 Key Issues and Challenges

 Lack of general awareness about statutory provisions

 National Building Code (NBC) talk about barrier free environment for Public
Building only

 Non-availability of disabled friendly public housing in India

 Retrofitted houses also not available

Specific provisions for disabled friendly housing

 Housing Site to be located in close proximity to Special Schools & Vocational

centers and Shopping Areas

 Highest order of safety and security against automobile traffic within the
housing Campus

 Easy accessibility to public transportation nodes

 Total Road network to be pucca and without any inconvenient gradient

 Specifically designed Community Centre

 Ample amount of parks and specially designed play areas

 Parks & recreational Areas to be easily approachable and without any hurdles
 The House Design as perceived by Ms. Sue, a
campaigner for disabled friendly housing in UK

‘A disabled-friendly home to me should look spacious, with wider

doorways to easily get from one room to another, with a wet-room
so I can shower and use the loo in private. I would like a
bedroom where I can sleep, as opposed to now where I have to
sleep in my lounge. It should have a kitchen with lower cupboards
and a sink at the right height, electric sockets should be at
waist height, so I can use these things. It should have level access
to the front door.’
House Design Parameters- The Living and the Bed Room

 Enough moving space (min.900mm.) around the Furniture

 A living dining combination is preferable to a kitchen dining combination.

 Sleeping- living room combinations are not recommended

 The bed location should not be in a corner of a wall

 Bed height to permit wheel chair turning under the bed

 Cloth hanger height to be 1050- 1200 mm.

 House Design Parameters- The kitchen

 Floor space to allow easy wheelchair movement (min.1500mm.) between worktop, sink and cooking
stove.

 Worktops, sinks, and cooking area should be at the same level at a height of 780mm - 800 mm high
from floor.

 A knee room of 700 mm high should be provided under the sink.

 Base cabinet’s storage space with hinged doors and fixed or adjustable shelves should be avoided.
Base cabinets are most usable with drawers of various depth.

 Pull-out vertical units at one or both sides of the work centres are desirable.

 Maximum height of shelves over worktop is 1200 mm.

 A min. gap of 400 mm. be provided between the edge of work top and top shelves.

 Side reach for low shelf height should be 300 mm.

The barrier free Kitchen
 House Design Parameters- The Toilet

 All Doors either be of the sliding or outward-opening type. Locks be

operable from outside in case of emergency

 The basin height and position be convenient for the wheelchair users.
Also appropriate knee clearance and foot clearance space

 Sufficient clear space in front of the Basin.

 Shower cubicles should have seats whose width and height facilitate easy
transfer by wheelchair users.

 Shower cubicles to have call buttons or other signals devices at a height

and position easily reached in an emergency.
 House Design Parameters- The Toilet

 WC or Toilet compartments to have enough floor space

 wall-hung Toilet Bowl to facilitate easy approach by wheelchair users.

 Support Rails (Grab Bras)

 Fittings, such as soap dispenser, electric hand dryer and mirror, should be
low.
 Lever-type Taps

 Floor finishes to be of non-slip material.

The barrier free Toilet
General View of the barrier free Toilet