In news– Governor of Karnataka has recently inaugurated the State’s first disabled-friendly park in Jawaharlal Bal Bhavan (JBB), Cubbon Park, Bangalore
About the park-
- It has been built for children with disabilities by Mindtree and Bal Bhavan Society.
- Built at a cost of ₹3 crore under the guidance of health and child development experts, the park provides a safe, inclusive, and physiotherapeutic place where children with multiple forms of special abilities can play uninhibited by their mobility aids or the risk of accidents.
- Designed in the shape of a turtle, the park consists of different zones for a wide range of physical, mental, therapeutic, and touch and feel activities.
- The park has a specially designed sand table for children on wheelchairs and a special swing.
- Tactile pathways make it easier for visually-challenged children to navigate their way around the park.
- To mitigate injuries from falls, all playing surfaces are made of a synthetic, non-toxic, and skid-proof rubber called EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer).
India’s first sensory park-
- Odisha’s Bhubaneswar got India’s first sensory park for differently-abled persons of all age groups in the Sahidnagar area.
- It is said to be the first of its kind in India under the Smart City Project.
- Developed by Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) at an investment of around Rs 1 crore, the park offers facilities like insulated pathways, playing equipment for children, an open-air gym, and other child-friendly services that comply with the universal access guideline.
- This initiative will benefit physically challenged children especially those with hearing and vision impairment
Source: The Hindu
