Study on mobility pattern of movement challenged persons of Dhaka

Abstract

To make development sustainable and inclusive, it must consider the rights of persons with disability. Same is true for build environment and transportation system. They must ensure the mobility rights of people with movement challenges. Unfortunately, Bangladesh is lagging behind greatly in ensuring these rights. This study aims to explore the mobility pattern of movement challenged persons through questionnaire survey of 200 respondents living in Dhaka, the Capital city of Bangladesh. This study has also made a comparative analysis of travel behavior of movement challenged persons with that of his/her physically fit family members through carrying out 10 travel dairy survey ranging over 7 days. The study has also enlisted the factors hindering provision of required facilities in build environment and transportation system through Key Informant Interview and Expert Interviews. From this study, it has been found that movement challenged persons focus more on convenience and availability of door to door service while selecting a mode for travelling. Rickshaw and CNG driven vehicle have been found dominant transport mode for them. Majority of the movement challenged persons have been found to make regular trips to work places only with simple trip chains.Unwillingness of drivers to carry a movement challenged persons, charging additional fare from them and lack of ramps to board on the vehicles have been found as common problems faced by them while travelling.It has been found that condition of availability of required facilities for movement challenged persons have been very poor. Percentage of residential buildings, work places, educational institutions, health institutions and recreational places with ramps is 37%, 14.42%, 1.865%, 12%, 77.6% and 8.95% respectively.Percentage of residential buildings, work places, educational institutions, health institutions and recreational places with suitable floor materials is 65%, 55.24%, 92.31%, 31.32%,97.3% and 50%respectively. Share of residential buildings, work places, educational institutions, health institutions and indoor recreational places with elevators is 39%, 37.31%, 58.81%, 16%, 94.7% and 38.63% respectively. All these problems have made their trip making restricted in comparison to their other family members. Travel dairy of families with movement challenged person member show that in most cases family members have to make additional trips to support movement challenged persons travel additional distance and spend additional time and money in this process. This thesis have identified 18 causes including lack of awareness among relevant stakeholders, lack of funding, knowledge gap among professionals, lack of accessibility and appropriate standards etc. The study has suggested policy recommendations related to raising awareness among stakeholders, monitoring of building construction, policy making, coordinating efforts of relevant organizations etc to ensure provision of required facilities in buildings and make system of Dhaka friendly to movement challenged persons.