As it prepares to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Delhi's iconic Gurdwara Bangla Sahib is being made barrier-free to make it differently-abled and senior citizen-friendly, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (SGMC) President Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Sunday.
The Delhi SGMC has initiated the movement to maintain, provide, renovate and repair existing infrastructure to ensure that the elderly and differently-abled have easy access to the gurdwara complex
The shrine has developed inclusive infrastructure to meet the special requirements of the people in respect of wheelchairs, battery-driven carts, wheelchair friendly-washrooms, tactile floors or pathways and railings, among others, to ensure easy accessibility.
"The gurdwara has three entry gates and four electric vehicles lined up to help the old and differently-abled reach the steps near the shrine and the stairs have a motor fitted sit-in lift on the side.
The gurdwara has 16 wheelchairs to meet the needs of differently-abled devotees at present and the management is likely to add another 20 wheelchairs by the year-end," an official statement said.
Also, the gurdwara has set up permanent ramps to make for easier movemnent of wheelchairs.
Besides, the Delhi SGMC is constructing another lift between the gurdwara front and the main Darbar Hall to be made operational by the end of November.
"People from all faiths and communities visit the gurdwara and the steps will help them" Sirsa said.
"At present, around 35,000 devotees besides 2,000 domestic and foreign tourists visit the shrine on ordinary days and DSGMC has decided to create an environment that will attract even more worshippers," the statement said.