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Lowering barriers: MRT Jakarta designates parking area for disabled users
The legal right of public access for disabled people is established in Article 97 of Law No. 8/2016 on people with disabilities. The law requires both the central and regional governments to guarantee the accessibility of buildings, roads, residential complexes, parks and cemeteries for people with disabilities.
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A person in a wheelchair parks in the specialized parking area for people with disabilities provided by PT MRT Jakarta at the Lebak Bulus MRT Station in South Jakarta on Feb. 20. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
T
he conveniences that most people take for granted are often unavailable to people with disabilities. Access to a parking lot, for example, can mean a lot, especially in a city where public facilities have not traditionally accommodated the needs of disabled residents.
Retnowati Sibarani, 53, said it was hard for people in wheelchairs like her to travel the city. She said parking lots and public streets were often inaccessible.
“The regular parking lots and some sidewalks are usually too steep, making it hard for the disabled to pass through,” she said.
Retnowati expressed gratitude that city-owned MRT operator PT MRT Jakarta had officially designated a parking area for the specialized motorcycles used by disabled people at the Lebak Bulus MRT Station in South Jakarta on Thursday. She hoped it would inspire other stakeholders to provide more accessible facilities for disabled people.
The parking area was the first to be provided by the MRT operator. More are expected to be established at other MRT stations.
“We will provide security guards at every station’s entrance to help the mobility of people in wheelchairs,” MRT Jakarta director of operations and maintenance Muhammad Effendi said.
