Tips on wheelchair access and other special needs while traveling to India !

In spite of the enormous number of physically challenged people in India, few places are wheelchair accessible by design. Most of the major tourist attractions are inaccessible; to say nothing of many other places you may want to visit. Hotels, temples, private homes, restaurants, shops and other buildings usually have steps up, especially in places with heavy monsoon rains. 

If you require wheelchair access, you'll need to find out in advance about every single place you plan to visit or stay. For many people, a specialized travel agency could be the best option for making such arrangements. Otherwise, you will need to spend enormous amounts of time and energy planning every step in advance. Whether you use an agency or do it yourself, it's essential to articulate your requirements as fully and clearly as possible. 

Although the situation is slowly improving, few hotels are truly accessible. When making hotel reservations, be sure that your reservation is for a particular room, one that meets your exact requirements, and get the room number. In India, the first floor is not at street level. It's the second floor by American reckoning. For a street level room, ask to be on the ground floor.

Speak with the manager rather than a desk clerk, and be sure to write down the person's name. Remember that Indians never like to say no to a guest, and you will inevitably find some cases where you have been assured of a particular situation that simply doesn't exist when you get there. Being extremely specific with your questions will produce the best results, though getting specific answers can be challenging. Indians are often hesitant to answer questions if they don't understand why you want to know—or if they aren't sure which answer you are hoping for! General questions will almost invariably get yes answers, whether they are appropriate or not, because they want to make you happy—and they may also be afraid that you won't come if they can't satisfy your needs. If the hotel has a website, look at the photos carefully, though of course they can be quite misleading. Make your questions as specific as possible, for example: 

- How many stairs between the street and the entrance?

- How many stairs between the entrance and the room?

- Are there elevators? 

-Does the backup power run the elevators? 

- Are there stairs in the room itself? 

- How big is the room? How big is the bathroom? 

- Is the toilet Western-style? 

- How wide are the doors (including the bathroom door)? 

- How much space is there next to the bed? 

- Is there a phone in the room? 

- Can I make and receive outside calls from the room? 

When speaking with the reservation agent, trust your intuition. If she seems vague or evasive or uncertain, take it as a sign that she is just trying to please you without actually knowing whether she can accommodate your needs. Verify that you are speaking with the manager (and not an assistant). If she is the manager, then you'll probably be much better off staying elsewhere. 

Reserve as far in advance as you can, then call ahead a day or two before you arrive to confirm that the particular room you have reserved will be available and that you haven't been switched to another one that may not meet your requirements. Again, speak only with the manager.

When you arrive, take time to make friends with the manager, owner and other key people. It will make a big difference in how successful you are in getting what you need. If they have taken good care of you, when you leave, write a letter saying so. It will be deeply appreciated. Tipping as you go rather than waiting until the end can also help to assure good service. 

Travel by private car is by far the best option if you can afford it. Again, you need to be extremely specific in asking your questions. If for instance, you will need the driver to lift you in and out of the car that has to be clearly spelled out in advance. If you will be traveling by plane within India, check with the airlines before making reservations. The airlines have requirements that will definitely spoil your trip if you don't check ahead; e.g., you'll need a medical form and doctor's certificate to fly, and also to bring the wheelchair. And most Indian airports have stairs leading up to the planes. 

Regular train carriages are difficult, as the aisles may not be wide enough for a wheelchair, and the toilets are not accessible, so there could be a lot of carrying involved. However, First Class is spacious enough that it could be OK for many people. Many mail/ express trains now have special accessible carriages with accessible toilets, though you'll need to ask before you book your tickets. All the trains are quite high off the platform. Often the only ramps are freight ramps, and many stations have long flights of stairs to get to the tracks. Passengers are not supposed to use the freight crossings, though an authorized coolie (porter) can push a wheelchair across. 

Buses are worse than trains, since the aisles are narrower, but everything is possible if you have someone to help you. Delhi has recently begun replacing city buses with ones that that are wheelchair accessible (and other cities will eventually follow suit), but other buses are not at all accessible. 

If you are fully dependent on your wheelchair, you will definitely need someone to assist you, whether you bring a companion with you or you arrange for someone in India. Solo travel is not advised in such a case because it would require constant requests for assistance to whoever is at hand, and there would inevitably be times when help wouldn't be available. 

Many people recommend bringing the smallest and lightest wheelchair possible, or else an all-terrain one. Streets and sidewalks (when there are any) are generally rough and uneven, with lots of cracks and holes for the wheels to get stuck in, and curbs tend to be high with no access ramps, so larger wheels are certainly an advantage. Although trying to get around with an electric wheelchair is difficult in many ways (e.g., they can't be taken on a domestic airplane), some people prefer them because of the large wheels. 

Toilets and bathrooms are extremely challenging, especially because most Indian toilets are of the squat variety, and the Indian-style toilet rooms are typically tiny. Although Western-style toilets are fairly common, especially in more upscale places, the rooms are usually too small for a wheelchair. A portable urinal is a necessity. It will save you from a lot of distressing situations. Be sure to carry a large shawl so you can use it discretely. 

Bathtubs are quite rare in India. Except in more upscale hotels, which often have showers, you'll usually have to take a bucket bath. You may need to bring a folding commode, although you can get an adapter for Indian squat toilets in medical supply shops in the big cities. 

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