Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday laid the foundation stone for the world’s largest and unique ‘Divyang (differently-abled persons) Park’ at Nagpur in Maharashtra.
Speaking on the occasion, Nitin Gadkari said the Anubhuti Inclusive Park is being developed keeping in mind the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build an inclusive society.
”Instead of sympathy, this park will show empathy (towards the differently-abled people). Hence this park has been named Anubhuti Divyang Park,” he said.
The Union minister said through this park, the message of inclusion will reach to not only the people of the country but the whole world. He said the park will have facilities for all 21 types of disabilities. It will have facilities like a touch-and-smell garden, hydrotherapy unit, water therapy and independent rooms for mentally challenged children and mothers.
In 2016, the Central government passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act for the disabled, he noted, adding this law is aimed at giving the disabled the right to live with dignity.
Taking an initiative under this, the Centre has created some ‘Divyang Parks’ in South India and Madhya Pradesh. In this series, this ‘Anubhuti Inclusive Park’ is being built for disabled children and general citizens at the Pardi campus of Nagpur, he added.
The minister said this is the world’s first inclusive disabled park for which a provision of about Rs 12 crore has been made by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The park is being built in an area of 90000 square feet. Various projects have been conceptualised for the disabled as well as for the general public and senior citizens in the park, he added.