NT NETWORK
CANDOLIM
Candolim beach will be the first beach in Goa to be disabled-friendly with facilities including a wooden ramp so that people from different walks of life, including the physically-challenged, can visit the beach without any hurdle, said Calangute MLA Michael Lobo.
He said that a special ramp made of wood will be laid at the entrance of the beach and it will stretch up to the point where the sand stretch meets water and apart from it, the physically-challenged persons, who are wheelchair-bound, will also benefit from user-friendly toilets, bathing and changing room facilities at the entrance of the beach.
Even special wheelchairs with persons will be available to take care of the mobility needs of physically-challenged persons.
Lobo further informed that from October 30, three more points along the Baga-Sinquerim beach stretch will be equipped with disabled-friendly facilities through corporate social responsibility service.
Lobo, who was a chief guest at the ‘BeachFest 2017’ at Candolim, that will be underway till April 9, said that the facilities will facilitate people who are wheelchair-borne to enjoy the beach just like any other normal person and that they will be assisted by Drishti lifeguards.
Yeshwant, one of the organisers of the ‘BeachFest 2017’, said that this is the first time such an event is being organised in Goa for the disabled-friendly persons. For the five-day event, special wheelchairs have been brought so that physically-challenged persons can have bath in the sea water without any hurdle, he said.
Chaudhary, Drishti official, said that special training will be provided to the lifeguards to help differently-abled persons.
A differently-abled person, who was part of the show, said she is happy that Candolim will have facilities for people like her and it will be a good thing with Goa being a tourist destination.
