‘I was told to go home in my wheelchair’: Mumbai Metro 3 user flags accessibility lapse

Karn Shah outside lift B2 at the Worli Metro station on Wednesday. Pic/By Special Arrangement

The Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3 is known to be one of the most accessible modes of transport, but this does not mean there is no scope for improving infrastructure for those in need of special arrangements.

Karn Shah, 27, a dog behaviourist, content creator, and wheelchair user who resides near Shivaji Park, alleged he had a harrowing time when trying to travel from the Worli Metro station to Dadar, a day before the January 15 civic election. Recalling his experience, Shah said, "I have always taken the Metro because it is truly accessible, but when I tried to enter the station from one of the entry lifts at the surface level, I realised it was malfunctioning."

Shah then called the available emergency numbers to figure out how to proceed. "I called every number listed on nearby posters and the Aqua Line app, but none were working," he said.

Sending Sanjay Singh Thakur, his assistant, to talk to employees at the station below, Shah ended up waiting for about 20 minutes by himself as those who were attempting to take the lift with him had gone ahead and used the stairs.

"I needed to use the restroom at the time. When Sanjay came back, he informed me that Metro staffers had told him that the lift would not be working for the day, and that we needed to look for alternate modes of transport," he added.

Not satisfied with the reply, Shah sent Thakur down to the station again to fetch a Metro staffer whom he could talk to. "When the employee came up, I asked him for any alternate options with which I could get to the station, and he replied that there were none."

As the discussion between the two progressed, the staffer allegedly requested that Shah go home directly in his wheelchair. "I did not know how to make him understand how dangerous his suggestion was. The footpaths in the city are not in the best condition for wheelchair users. But in the end, I had no option but to follow his advice. So, avoiding traffic, I manoeuvred myself home in my wheelchair. As there was no accessible public restroom along the way and had to exercise control until I got home."

mid-day contacted the Mumbai Metro Line 3 for a comment, but did not receive one by press time.

Jan 14
Day incident occurred