heavy industries meet 11th afternoon

[Vaishnavi Jayakumar (Inclusive India)]

🗓️ Manish Kumar, Deputy Secretary Ministry of Heavy Industry got in touch today. In a conference call with Arman and myself he said that they'd had stakeholder consultations and had some issues they wanted to discuss - Taxis, buses, etc.

11th afternoon we will be meeting online, more details will follow eventually via email.

[Vaishnavi Jayakumar (Inclusive India)]

The draft MHI feedback document commenting link : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wCNj456jdHYaR-TzRzWv7czeSqwD9cBR/view?usp=sharing

The draft standard for reference link : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bcXJZ4gEuuYUeipdrkSI-nQE_z1aK4_A/view?usp=sharing

Pasted contents below :

ANNEXURE-I

1. Specific Accessibility Components

A - Hydraulic Lift System

1. The lifting mechanism should be certified by any Government of India-approved testing agency (e.g., ARAI, ICAT, NATRAX, GARC).

2. For micro and mini-buses, stakeholder consultation (including OEMs, regulatory authorities, concerned ministries, and lift manufacturers) is recommended before implementing wheelchair lift systems.

B - Anti-Skid Interior Steps

1. All steps should have edge demarcation and a fully colored tread for enhanced visibility and safety.

C - Space for Guide Dogs

1. CESL tenders mandate adherence to AIS 153 by OEMs.

2. Provision for guide dog space affects gangway width and overall seating capacity, and should be considered carefully.

D - Gangway Width

1. 12-meter buses: Minimum 700 mm as per UBS II.

2. Midi and mini-buses: Minimum 600 mm as per UBS II.

E - Low-Floor Requirement Exemption for Mini-Buses

1. Mini-buses may be exempted from low-floor requirements as per AIS 153.

2. Suggested Mandatory Technical Features

1. Bus entrance doors designed per AIS 052.

2. Handrails at door entrances.

3. Ergonomic handrails and grab bars near wheelchair areas.

4. Power-operated ramp for low-floor buses.

5. Hydraulic lift system for standard floor buses (12m and 9m).

6. Adequate space for wheelchairs with proper markings.

7. Priority seating.

8. Information displayed in Braille/raised numbers.

9. Clearly marked wheelchair space both inside and outside the bus using standard symbols.

10. Lifting platforms must include safety restraints (e.g., belts, handrails) and anti-slippage safety measures.

11. Push/panic buttons and stop request buttons on stanchions.

12. Passenger Information System (PIS).

3. Additional Considerations from the Ministry

A - Adoption of AIS 216 Standard

1. AIS 216 should be referenced for Type I intra-city buses to address requirements for passengers with reduced mobility, aligning with ECE Regulation R107.

2. This standard was approved during the 73rd AISC meeting on 7 May 2025.

B - Type II/III Buses

1. If equipped with wheelchair access, must follow the requirements in both AIS 052 and AIS 153, as listed by DEPwD.

4. Proposed Reclassification of Certain Modes

A - Mode A01 – Wheelchair Accessibility in Taxis

1. The Ministry proposes expanding GST rationalization from cars to all vehicle types.

2. Since the Indian taxi market (intercity/intracity/all-India permit) largely uses CNG, the requirement for wheelchair accessibility is proposed to be reclassified from Non-Negotiable to Aspirational.

B - Mode A05 – App Aggregators

1. For wheelchair-accessible vehicle proportions under app aggregators, the Ministry recommends changing the classification from Non-Negotiable to Aspirational.

C - Mode A07 – Wheelchair Accessibility in E-Autorickshaws

1. The Ministry proposes reclassifying the special-purpose e-autorickshaw category from Non-Negotiable to Aspirational.

 

[Vaishnavi Jayakumar (Inclusive India)]

Update on the mysterious AIS-216

[11/06, 09:35] Manish Kumar MHI: AIS 216 is about Accessibility in the city buses. It states that all the Type 1 buses shall have wheel chair lifting arrangements or ramp for boarding of wheel chair passenger inside the bus. 

However, it is in draft stage, still to be notified.

[11/06, 09:59] Vaishnavi Jayakumar: Can the draft be shared please? Even that is not available on the ARAI website, and drafts usually are.

Also it makes no sense - AIS-052 and AIS-153 collectively cover the requirements as per UNECE R107. If any changes are required, it should happen there.

(There are a few amendments required where bus accessibility specifications have been watered down from the original or omitted, and need to be strengthened with any possible ambiguities removed.)

[11/06, 10:04] Manish Kumar MHI: Ok let me check

[Vaishnavi Jayakumar (Inclusive India)]

Discovered AIS-216 by trawling through ARAI site - not findable by Google search : 
https://hmr.araiindia.com/api/AISFiles/Finalized%20Draft%20AIS_216_DF_2960cbb9-5352-4f26-9070-480edc53ff40.pdf

The minutes shared  by MHI indicate that  it is supposed to be an extract of Type I city bus specifications as per AIS-052 and AIS-153. 

But there are also some regressive additions made by the panel on permissible floor heights and ramp gradients.

MORTH, MOHUA were also part of this without breathing a word - this is sadly an adversarial / combative attitude instead of a collaborative one. Disappointed.