Moskau wird Stadt der gleichen Möglichkeiten

The 24th of July in Moscow took place a meeting of the Coordinating council on disabled persons affairs. On this meeting mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov announced that till the beginning of 2010 all the cultural and sport centers of the city must be adapted for the attendance of disabled persons.

2009 was proclaimed Year of equal possibilities. And till the end of it on the buildings equipped for invalids will appear corresponding signs as well as tickets in theatre and sports grounds.

The necessity of these signs will disappear as soon as the city will correspond to all requirements.

Next measure of mayor of Moscow was introduction of fines for the parking in places destined for the cars of invalids. This fine will exist together with the evacuation of the car-violator.

According to RIA “Novosti” there will be organized special walks with limiters colored in bright for wheelchair. In the city ramps will be equipped, curbs and footsteps removed where it is necessary. Also the slope for wheelchair and comfortable WC will be constructed.

All the dangerous objects such as glazed doors, fist and last steps will be colored in yellow, the color well distinguished by people with bad eyesight.

According to the program “Social integration of invalids and disabled persons” of 2007-2009 lifts in today’s houses will be reconstructed and equipped with vocal notifications of floor number. New houses will be built according to these requirements. There will be penalty for non-observance of these rules. But not all the projects are realized. Many houses where invalids live can’t be reconstructed and equipped ramps are not comfortable and exist as formality.

The problem with transport is to be resolved. Not all trolleybuses and buses are equipped with low floor. None of tramways has a special walk for wheelchair.

The program of creation of equal possibilities for invalids (more than a million in Moscow) must help invalids to feel natural in the city. This program must also raise the status of Moscow as a tourist city and make the stay in Moscow more comfortable for the disabled persons.