Bhubaneswar, Sept. 26: Another World Tourism Day has arrived but nothing much has changed in terms of accessibility and facilities at major tourist destinations in the state.
On the eve of World Tourism Day, social activists and tour operators here continue to lament the lack of infrastructure and services at popular sites such as Konark Temple, Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves, Dhauli Shanti Stupa and the Jagannath Temple.
"It is not safe for a wheelchair or mobility-aid supported persons to go up the Khandagiri caves. One cannot enter the Rani or Haathi gumpha at Udayagiri without a ramp," said 25-year-old wheelchair-bound Sushree Sarangi.
Some feel that the distance from the main gate to the monument at places such as Rajarani Temple or Konark was quite long, making it difficult for the elderly or infirm to cover the entire stretch.
"We have hosted a number of senior persons from countries such as the USA and France and they always complain that there is no provision for vehicles to be allowed till the end of the long pathway leading up to the temple. The roads are also not smooth, making it difficult to walk," said Partha Samal, a tour operator.
Bhubaneswar-based organisation Swabhiman, which works for the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), conducted an access audit in 2012 at a number of tourist destinations including beaches.
One of their major findings was that there were no ramp facilities at the major tourist sites making it impossible to enter for wheelchair users.
They found out that there were no accessible toilets at most of the sites with no Braille signage or audio guides for the visually impaired.
The temple administration at Lingaraj Temple provides chairs that can take the disabled and elderly inside conveniently. However, users complained that the process of getting the chair was cumbersome. Information about where to get the chair from was also not available.
"The situation has not changed much because accessible tourism has not been the point of focus," said Sruti Mohapatra, founder of Swabhiman.
She suggested the creation of "ability shacks" at these destinations to serve as information-cum-waiting rooms.
"These shacks can have volunteers and also guides trained in sign language to guide the elderly and PWDs. Also, tourist guide maps and manuals in Braille and in alternative formats should be available," added Mohapatra.
A Puri-based social organisation run by travel enthusiast Yugabrat Kar started an initiative during Rath Yatra this year to assist differently-abled persons to have a tour of the Gundicha Temple and catch a glimpse of the Lord and His siblings.
"One needs to climb a lot of stairs to visit the Jagannath temple, so it is impossible for differently-abled persons to reach the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord. As the Gundicha Temple does not have a staircase, we could take them to visit the Lord. But elderly persons and differently-abled tourists visiting cannot enter the temple during the other times of the year. So there has to be a permanent solution," said Kar.
The state government has made plans to celebrate World Tourism Day tomorrow on the theme. A organise a road show and mass walk from Master Canteen to Ekamra Haat. "We are working to make the sites accessible. It is an ongoing process and we are hopeful to cover the major sites with basic facilities at the earliest," said tourist officer Ratikant Patnaik.
