THRISSUR:Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan visited Thrissur KSRTC stand on Friday, where a bus had rammed into two blind cricketers based out of Palakkad, killing them in the process, on 14th Sunday.

Several measures have been mooted in the cabinet meeting to ensure safe passage for the visually impaired, he said. “The signal lights currently in use are highly disadvantageous for the visually impaired. We have mooted, and the cabinet has agreed to, the installation of announcement systems along with the signal lights, which will constantly blare out details like the signal currently on display and the time, in seconds, before it changes,” he said, speaking to the Express. According to the Minister, the cabinet has also agreed to recognise the usage of white canes, commonly used by the blind as a mobility tool.

“Another point of discussion in the cabinet meeting was about the creation of a mobile application that would eliminate the need for the blind to dial all the 10 digits in case of an emergency or an accident, replacing them with a single switch that would act as an emergency signal. The pedestrian crossings will also be built on a more elevated platform to ease their travel requirements,” he said.

In a meeting convened at Ramanilayam in Thrissur, presided over by the Transport Minister, the KSRTC announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh for each of the families of the dead cricketers. The meeting also recognised an urgent need to reorganise and develop the infrastructure within the stand.

While a long term project involves the construction of shopping malls and related projects within the 3 acre 12 cents land currently in possession, officials informed that an interim report for the rearrangement and reorganisation of facilities were to be submitted in a month’s time.

Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Measures-to-Ensure-Safe-Passage-for-Visually-Impaired/2015/06/20/article2876073.ece