Buses to have facilities for differently abled from March

New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS) The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Monday said that from March onwards buses will have facilities for differently abled passengers or passengers with reduced mobility.The Transport Ministry has notified amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to this effect.The amendment provides for priority seats, signs, securing of crutches/canes/walkers, handrail/stanchions, controls at priority seats and wheelchair entry/housing/locking arrangement for wheelchair for divyangs. Such facilities will be checked and ensured at the time of fitness inspection for buses, said an official release.The draft rules to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, were published in July this year, inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby.The government said that the notification has been issued after duly considering the objections and suggestions received from the public in respect of the said draft rules.-
--IANS sfm/sdr/bg