How many times have you and I complained about the state of our roads and pavements riddled with potholes? While many of us manage to make our way around them, these can often translate into a real danger for the visually impaired.

Very few residing in cities might be aware that the yellow line dotting the pavement, or tactile pavement as it is called, is actually meant to aid the visually impaired. Any disruption in these - in the form of trees, electric poles or potholes - poses a menace for those who take to the tactile pavement for navigation. 

Sharmishtha, a student, explained why she has stopped taking the yellow pavement and instead relies on roads. "Initially we had started using it but because of poles and trees nobody uses it. No one uses them anymore after a lot of people fell into potholes. I find roads better than the pavements", she said.

In a bid to do a reality check, NDTV went to various areas of Delhi and inspected tactile pavements. The report card displayed an abysmal state of affairs - at most places, tactile pavements were in shambles and disrupted by some or the other obstacle. This, despite, the Delhi Development Authority or DDA having clearly laid down street design guidelines.

A recent survey by NGO Samarthyam concluded that Delhi is not disabled friendly. The survey revealed that street infrastructure required for the differently abled was missing in many of the city's busiest places like Connaught Place, Lodhi Road, Sarai Kale Khan and Nehru Place. 

Speaking to NDTV, Samarthyam's  Director Anjilee Agarwal said, "Engineers and contractors have no clue what these tactile pavements stand for. They think it's a kind of an attractive tile". So who is to blame for it then? "It's complete insensitivity on part of engineers both from the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Central Public Works Department (CPWD)", she says.

Source: NDTV