Achievements

Activities & Achievements

Apang Utkarsh Seva Sanstha, Navi Mumbai, has been actively involved with the cause of the disabled at the railway stations, by way of advocating for the provision of ramps, disability symbols, audio signals, drinking water and urinal facilities at the platforms, adequate height of the railway platforms, and increasing the capacity of the handicapped compartments in the trains.

As a result of the concerted effort of the Sanstha, audio signal equipment has now been installed on most of the railway platforms in Navi Mumbai.

The Sanstha has been organizing seminars and lectures to create awareness about the disability related issues, laws, and business loan procedures for the disabled. The Sanstha has also been in talks with the CIDCO to reserve 3% of their housing projects for the disabled; and requesting the government to implement policies strictly for the benefit of the disabled.
The Sanstha organized a lecture on the subject of 'Disability Act, Rules, and Right to Information Act and Procedure to Obtain Loan for the Business' by Shri. Parmeshwar Babar and Shri. Vinayak Dhotre at Nerul Railway Station premises on 13th May, 2007.
A seminar on the topic 'How to Make Transport System Barrier Free for Handicapped People' was organized on 2nd December, 2007, on the eve of 'International Day of Persons with Disabilities'. Dr. Rajesh Patil, Deputy Chief, Shiv Sena Party, Navi Mumbai, inaugurated the seminar. Ms. Varsha Bhagat, Principal, Education and Training Centre for CWHI, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Mr. Subhash Salve, Mr. Deepak Kanaya, Mr. Somnath Choughule, Ms. Sunita Sanchayati from ADAPT, Spastics Society of India, Mr. Suhas Karnik, Secretary, National Association for the Blind, Ms. Anuradha Mugi, Social Worker, Helen Keller Institute of Deaf & blind, Mr. Ajay Kumar Rai, Deputy Director, National Association for the Blind, Mr. Madhav Patil & Mr. Gaikwad from Bombay Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking and Mr. Sunil Jagtap from Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport Undertaking, spoke on different topics at the seminar.
The Sanstha held a 'morcha' (protest meeting) at the Divisional Railway Manager, Central Railway, Fort, Mumbai office on 4th March, 2008 to convey their railways-related grievances to the Addl. DRM.
The association had filed public interest litigation in the Mumbai High Court regarding lack of consideration of disabled persons in the Kharghar housing project in Navi Mumbai area. As a follow-up to the Mumbai High Court order, the association made representation with the CIDCO, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Minister for State, Ministry of Urban Development. The delegates from the Apang Utkarsh Seva Sanstha, Navi Mumbai, met with Mr. Girish Bapat, MLA from Kasbapeth Pune Constituency on 21st July, 2008 at Majestik, Aamdar Niwas, Mumbai, and explained the issue of non-reservation of flats by CIDCO in their Kharghar, Navi Mumbai project, for persons with disabilities.
The delegates from the Apang Utkarsh Seva Sanstha, Navi Mumbai met with His Excellency Mr. S.C. Jamir, Hon'ble Governor of Maharashtra on 23rd July, 2008 at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai. The delegates explained the issue of 'reservation in housing scheme' to the Hon'ble Governor in detail and requested for his direction to the State Government to implement the reservation policy for persons with disabilities.
Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd. (MSRDC) and CIDCO together is going to construct around 57 skywalks in Mumbai/Navi Mumbai area. The first skywalk constructed from Bandra Station East to Kalanagar that was opened to commuters in June 2008, has no ramp/lift facility for persons with disabilities. The association has taken up this issue and corresponded with all the above mentioned departments in order to make provision of ramp/lift facility for the persons with disabilities in all the Skywalks which are being constructed by them in the cities. We are happy to state that the MMRDA and MSRDC both have reacted positively to our proposal and have started taking positive steps towards the provision of ramps/lifts in all skywalks which will be constructed by them in Mumbai metropolitan region.
The Sanstha has been in talks with the Medical Education and Research (Maharashtra government), Mumbai, regarding provision of ramp along with railing at the entrance of their office building.
The Sanstha has held talks with St. Georges Hospital, Mumbai, regarding installation of railing at their entrance of the hospital.
The delegates of the association have met the Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Central Railway, CST Mumbai on 12th November, 2009 and had detailed discussion with him on 18 most essential basic demands. The following demands of the association have been passed in the meeting:

(1) Provision of ramps at Vashi and Nerul railway station complexes.
(2) Provision of auditory signals on the platforms wherever they are missing and engraving on the edges of all railway platforms for the blind and for thepersons with low vision.
(3) All ATVM machines to be well-equipped with braille for the blind and for persons with low vision.
(4) Regarding bigger compartment the care has been taken in newly designed trains by M/s Siemens Company. It is assured that maximum of these trains will be made available on Harbour route and within next 3-4 years all old trains will be removed and provided new trains with bigger compartment.
(5) No online long distance travel ticket booking facility is available for the handicapped people. Also no concession is being given in Tatkal reservation for the handicapped people. The demand of the Sanstha will be forwarded to the concern department for necessary action.
(6) While purchasing ticket/season ticket handicapped people are require to stand in queue with general people. The request of purchasing ticket/season ticket straightaway without standing in the queue is approved.
(7) Provision of urinal facility on all platforms of the railway is also under consideration.
Felicitated 34 differently abled students who have passed in Secondary School Certificate (25 studetns) and Higher Secondary Certificate (9 students) in the examination held in March 2009 on the occasion of "International Day of Persons with Disabilities" on 3rd December 2009. Following dignitaries were present on the occasion to bless the students:
Chief Guest -
Hon. Dr. Narendra Jadhav, Member, Planning Commission, Govt. of India
Special Guests -
(1) Hon. Mr. Suresh Haware, Social Worker & Ex Atomic Scientist
(2) Hon. Mr. Vijay S. Nahata, Municipal Commissioner, NMMC
(3) Hon. Lion Ashok Kumbhar, 1st Dist. Governor of Navi Mumbai
(4) Hon. Lion Sanjiv Sharma, Zone-III, Chairman, Navi Mumbai
Guest -
(1) Hon. Smt. Varsha Bhagat, Director, ETC Education & Training Centre for CWDA, NMMC
(2) Hon. Mr. Sameer Amin Bagwan, Social Activist, Navi Mumbai
Government of India has decided to give unique identification number to Indian residents that can be verified and authenticated in an online, cost-effective manner, and robust enough to eliminate duplicate and fake identities. In this regard the association has approached Mr. Nandan Nilekani, Chairman, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Planning Commission, Government of India on 30th December, 2009 and suggested to map the differently-abled people, while collecting demographic and biometric information of the residents in the country. This will enable to record the health, educational and social status of these differently-abled people.
Further, at present, differently-abled people are required to obtain various types of certificates for availing different government services. Therefore, it is requested to make this UID card applicable for availing of all the government benefits/facilities/services through-out the country for the differently-abled people. This will spare us from hassle of repeatedly collecting of various identity documents from different authorities.
We also expressed our willingness to be part of the mapping exercise in Navi Mumbai region as we have been planning medium term and long term interventions & rehabilitation programmes for the disadvantaged people along with our research advisors. Therefore, engaging organizations like ours will also ensure that falsified information is not provided to obtain undue benefits.
The association have received correspondence from the UIDAI that they have liked our proposal and it has been forwarded to concerned team for further action.