The Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (SCPD), Nagaland, has highlighted major infrastructural and service gaps in accessibility for persons with disabilities following an extensive state-wide inspection of government departments and rehabilitation facilities on May 25.
Led by State Commissioner Tongpang L Jamir, the team visited the Nagaland State Transport (NST) Department, the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC), Dimapur, and Prodigals’ Home to assess the implementation of accessibility measures and welfare initiatives for PwDs.
At the NST Department, officials informed the visiting team that installing hydraulic lifts and integrated ramps in existing high-floor NST buses remains technically unfeasible. They informed that due to Nagaland’s hilly terrain and poor road conditions, NST buses are designed with a floor height if 1000 mm and above, making the installation of hydraulic lifts technically unfeasible.
Although mechanically operated ramps have been introduced, these systems are presently not fully user-friendly for wheelchair accessibility, they said.
The Department further highlighted that under the latest AIS Bus Body Code, roof luggage carriers have been discontinued, necessitating the relocation of luggage compartments beneath the buses. This modification has consequently increased the bus floor height to nearly 1200 mm, thereby posing additional challenges for the installation of mechanically operated ramps.
In view of these limitations, the department has resolved that, instead of integrated ramps in high-floor buses, accessible ramps would be developed at bus stations, while detachable and portable wedge-type ramps would be made available at stations and sub-stations wherever required.
The Department also informed that a minimum of five low-floor mini buses fitted with hydraulic or pneumatic ramps would be procured in the present phase of bus acquisition, specifically for operation within Dimapur city.
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Currently, NST has installed 13 ramps with handrails across 12 districts, set up five dedicated service counters in four districts, and established eight accessible toilets across seven districts. The department also reported 96 active PwD card holders.
The visiting team further inspected the Dimapur District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC), where the SCPD team flagged urgent manpower and infrastructure requirements, including the need for a dedicated Disability Rehabilitation Centre within the District Hospital and the appointment of a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) specialist.
The centre also requires Prosthetists, Orthotists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, office assistants, dedicated parking facilities for PwDs.
The Centre also expressed the need for financial support to procure materials, machineries and joints required for the fabrication of assistive devices, in addition to the development of a proper waiting area for persons with disabilities visiting the Centre. The Prosthetic and Orthotic devices manufactured and repaired by DDRC from 2021 till date include 21 Above Knee Prostheses, 35 Below Knee Prostheses, 8 Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFO), 1 Ortho Prosthesis and 25 repaired assistive devices.
The team also visited Prodigals’ Home (PH), where the State Commissioner, officials, staff, the Director of PH, and other representatives held detailed discussions on the institution’s model working system and its services for persons with disabilities.
The Office also informed that the terminology project concerning disability-related language and accessibility is expected to be completed within the current year. In this regard, a consultation meeting with Tribal Literature Boards is scheduled to be held in June 2026. The Boards would also be requested to include representatives from Church Association, Literature Boards as well as members from the PwD community.
Additionally, a State-level consultation meeting involving NGOs working for Persons with Disabilities will be organized in the near future.
