20-year-old Mansoor Pasha from Mysore, Karnataka is blind by birth. But he is an independent young boy who makes a decent living, running a mobile recharge shop. He also sells cosmetic items to supplement his earnings. Mansoor travels to Bangalore at least twice a week to acquire products and for other business purposes. He uses a free monthly bus pass issued by the Karnataka State Transport Corporation to visually impaired people, for interstate travel.

But often bus conductors don’t allow him to board, overlooking the mandated provision for his free travel. This behaviour is typical of ignorance or sheer apathy towards a person with disability. Eyeway advised Mansoor to carry a copy of the government issued guidelines at all times. Despite that, he is treated as a free-loader, unwanted passenger, definitely not a dignified or pleasant experience.

He has faced similar hassle and humiliation in availing financial services for his business related transactions. Whether it was issuance of an ATM card or linking his bank account to a digital payment platform, Eyeway had to intervene. Our counselor apprised the bank of the Reserve Bank of India’s mandate that banks cannot deny any financial services on grounds of disability.

The insensitivity and lack of awareness on part of service providers, acts as a stumbling block for otherwise independent visually impaired people. Mansoor in Karnataka is not a standalone case. Eyeway has received calls from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, reporting similar non-compliance of rules.

While the government has enacted disability-friendly laws and issued guidelines meant to ease and include them in the mainstream, it is equally critical to ensure adherence and on-ground implementation for the last mile user.

Warm regards,

Team Eyeway