Kolkata: Kolkata Police has started building ramps at all its police stations in the city to facilitate better access for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, following directions from the police commissioner Supratim Sarkar.“Ramps are to be built at all police stations so that senior citizens and the disabled can have better access and they find it easier to approach duty officers,” said joint CP (crime) Rupesh Kumar. Sarkar said the objective was to ensure police stations remained accessible to people who might be at higher risk of injury while entering older buildings. “Constructing ramps at KP police stations is not only a matter of infrastructure but also a fundamental need for justice and dignity. For the elderly and the disabled, a police station is often the first point of contact for seeking protection or reporting a grievance. If the building itself is inaccessible, the law effectively shuts its doors to them,” he said.Police said ramps were available at 25 of the 80 police stations in the city and work was on at the rest 55. Among those 55, ramps were completed at 35 police stations, while constructions were on at 20 locations, said an officer.Priyanka De, a disability rights activist and a member of Wheelchair Users Association of West Bengal, said the move, though late, would go a long way in helping the elderly and the disabled. “It has taken 10 years to build ramps. We remain sceptical until we see results. But if indeed such a major step is being executed, we welcome it,” said De. “Also, the ramps should meet the parameters specified in the law.” Shyampukur resident Dipankar Chatterjee said being 81 years old, a ramp would definitely make it easier for him to enter a police station. “The next step should be making toilets more accessible,” he said.At Lalbazar, officers said the ramp was part of a broader push to make public-facing facilities more accessible. Police departments in other parts, including in Pune and Tamil Nadu, tried similar measures. The move aligns with central govt discussions on modernising police station infrastructure. A concept paper, ‘Revised Standards for Modern Police Station Buildings-2015′ was circulated to states, UTs and CAPFs for suggestions.
