Saturday saw the opening of the city’s first hangout for differently-abled youth, Kalakkal Cafe, on the Vidya Sagar campus in Kotturpuram, a prime locality.

�� Anuradha Shankaran, a teacher at Vidya Sagar, says, “The menus are in braille language for the visually-challenged, text for those who can read and just pictures for those who cannot read. The place is accessible to wheelchairs, and has tactile walls, bathrooms and eating aids.”

The prices are reasonable - a snack and a drink can be had for less than `50. The food is provided at a subsidised rate by the Winners Bakery. The cafe remains open on second and fourth Saturdays, from 4 pm to 8 pm.

The cafe is strictly off limits to parents and helpers, but is open to all youngsters. Dhana Sekar A, associate coordinator of Disability Legislation Unit, South, of Vidya Sagar and a disability activist, says that he hopes to make new non-disabled friends. “All of us (differently-abled) know each other quite well. We would like to expand our horizons,” he said.

Speaking of the inaccessible conditions of a few shops, cafes and even public places like the Delhi Metro, on which he has done a study, Dhana says: “In trying to be “stylish”, these places are not constructed with proper flooring that we can also use.”

On a popular bookstore in Adyar, he says, “They have a ramp outside, but when we wanted to go to the basement, we were told that there was no elevator. The whole shop should be accessible, not just the ground floor.”

He also says that staircases without grab bars were inconvenient for those like him who use crutches and also those with partial vision impairment

The Kalakkal Cafe offers the community a solution to all these problems. They will also have a live band and dance floor as part of entertainment for the visitors.