Campus commute for the differently-abled

Life for the differently-abled at North Campus changed for better on Monday.

And it happened with Delhi University (DU) launching a special free-of-cost bus service meant exclusively for the physically challenged.

Acquired at a cost of Rs 16 lakh, the bus boasts of special features that have been included in the design to suit needs of its passengers.

The service is free of cost.

For starters, the rear entrance door of the bus is enabled with a hydraulic lift mechanism to help wheelchair users board the vehicle.

That apart, the bus also has a stop request button arrangement, audio announcements for the visually challenged passengers and a crutch box.

“The bus will start plying on a pre-defined route, which will cover all the North Campus colleges and the Metro station, from the beginning of the new session. Satyawati College, Laxmibai College and the Kanhaiya Nagar Metro station, which are close to North Campus, will be part of the route once in the morning and evening,’ said Nish Singh, officer on special duty at the Equal Opportunity Cell, DU.

Though the schedule of the bus will publicised in colleges and through radio, students will also be able to call up the co-driver of the bus to find out the location of the vehicle and estimate its arrival accordingly.

“The bus will also have an audio announcement system which will help the visually impaired passengers to locate and board the bus as soon as it is within a distance of about 10 meters,” Singh added.