Watching a movie as a wheelchair user in India

I went to watch a movie today at PVR Saket. The auditorium had an accessible route till the entrance. We had seats in the centre of the second last row. I being a tetraplegic never ever sat anywhere else except my wheelchair and usually whenever I go to watch a movie I just park my chair in the aisle and continue sitting on it but here at PVR Saket they had a different rule. They wanted me to transfer onto the audi seat and they were happy to assist me in shifting. Since I had no options, I abided and took their assistance to shift onto the regular seat while my chair was taken away and returned at the end of the show when I wanted to leave.

I didn’t mind being inconvenienced as the ticket at PVR Saket was only Rs 50/- while at the DT Cinema at the Promenade that I frequented it was Rs 250/-.  But that was me only on this one instance. If one was to evaluate the accessibility for disabled people at cinema theatres one will be appalled.

Without making the post to technical I must point out that there are a number of people on wheelchairs cannot sit on anywhere else except in their wheelchair because of their impairment. For such people going to PVR Saket will be a waste, as they will not be ‘allowed’ (infringing on their constitutional rights).

Not one cinema theatre in India recognises the special needs of disabled viewers who may have physical, sensory or cognitive impairments. Even if one managed to enter the hall there are no designated space to park a wheelchair and one has to either shift to regular seat or sit on one’s wheelchair either next to the front row or precariously blocking the aisle space. I myself have watched several movies parked alone in one corner away from my friends and family.  Of course special needs of sensory impaired persons is not even known by the cinema management. This is again discriminatory, as disabled viewers are treated not at power with other views.

The sad part is that there are no laws in our country that can protect the rights of disabled people against this discrimination especially from private service providers. The attitude today is that as a disabled person I should be thankful to the service provider to tolerate us and for us to expect access/convenience/equal dignity and service as non-disabled viewer is being over ambitious.

Air Travel with my Electric Wheelchair

I started using an electric wheelchair nearly 3 years ago. Over time it has changed my output, my independence, my social life, in other word it has changed my life for the better. For two years I used my electric chair only in and around home as electric wheelchairs are heavy and not always folding making them difficult to transport in a regular car.

Just a couple of months back I decided to travel with it to Spain. This was the first time when I took my chair by flight. I had no idea how it was all going to work out with the airlines but considering it was international travel, I knew it would be fine. Sure it did work out well and I am glad I decided to travel in it because air travel was convenient and to top it I used it in train as well as taxi travel. I other words I did not need to shift out of my chair at all while in Spain. This trip gave me a lot of confidence about traveling with my electric wheelchair.

Next it was time to try travelling with the electric wheelchair within India. On one occasion when I was going to travel by Spice Jet, they refused to carry the chair if it did not fold.  Another time while I was flying Jet lite the budget airline owned by Jet Airways, they were most comfortable carrying my non-foldable 60kg electric wheelchair. The only thing they wanted to ensure was that my chair had dry batteries. It was easy and my chair reached the destination undamaged.  I was impressed by the Jet Airways and defiantly know that Spice Jet and Indigo are not the best airlines for disabled travels.

Following the enactment of the Civil Aviation Requirement for Carriage of disabled people, the only two notable benefits that I can see is 1. As a disabled person I can refuse to sign an indemnity form that frees the airlines from the same commitments it has towards a disabled person as it has for all other passengers and 2. My being able to carry my electric wheelchair easily on a budget airline even if it is on one airline.

Shivani Gupta
AccessAbility
www.AccessAbility.co.in