In Nepal, 647,744 citizens with disabilities face serious daily risks due to inaccessible roads, sidewalks, and public transportation infrastructures. Each year, approximately 1,200 to 1,500 people suffer spinal cord injuries from road accidents in Nepal, with 80 percent linked to such accidents. Experts emphasize that road construction should not only focus on vehicles but must incorporate ‘universal design’ to ensure access and safety for all citizens, calling for legal and policy reforms.
On July 28, 2019, Gautam Pokharel, Assistant Administrative Officer at Nepal Telecom, was returning to Naikap from the Nepal Association of the Blind office at Sukedhara via the Dhobi Khola corridor. During the rainy season, the road was filled with mud, and there was no safe path for pedestrians. Near the Capital Petrol Pump in Dhumbarahi, he fell into the river. His laptop was completely soaked. Had a stranger not rescued him in time, the incident could have been far more serious. This incident is a stark example of how our road infrastructure poses significant risks to visually impaired people.
Season Rai, who lives in Kamalvinayak, Bhaktapur, has experienced similar challenges. He regularly travels to Kathmandu for study and work. Many buses do not stop even after seeing him, and if they do, fellow passengers pressure him to board or disembark quickly. In some cases, drivers and assistants have ignored him. He has had to wait on the roadside for hours for transportation, missing college or office hours. Requests for rides on motorcycles or other vehicles often go unanswered, leaving him frustrated. Season’s experience shows that in the transportation sector, challenges go beyond physical infrastructure; behavioral attitudes also pose significant barriers for people with disabilities. According to the 2021 national census, Nepal has 647,744 citizens with disabilities who endure these daily hardships on roads, sidewalks, and public transportation. For them, roads are not merely means of travel, but tests filled with challenges and risks.
Discussions about road accidents in Nepal often focus on driver negligence, speeding, traffic violations, or vehicle conditions. However, an important yet less addressed factor is poor road infrastructure and the lack of accessibility-friendly structures. Journalist Gajendra Budhathoki points out, “Such inadequate accessibility structures not only cost thousands of lives but also change people’s futures. For survivors of accidents, another major challenge is the daily struggle with inaccessible roads and public transportation.”
