Built on top of a hill, the Nugegoda National Savings Bank building completely fails in terms of accessibility to the public.
Accessibility should be a priority consideration for those who plan a public building, especially a national bank whose patrons come from all walks of society. They include the young, the middle-aged and the elderly, not to mention the sick and the disabled.
The planners of the NSB building, Nugegoda, clearly had no foresight or vision when they chose such an impossible location.To reach the bank, you have to first climb a hillock as a kind of warming-up exercise, and then you have to ascend a formidable flight of steps to get to the transacting counters.
One can only imagine what an arduous exercise this poses for the aged and the not-so-aged, the disabled, the arthritic, and others who are not fit or not in the best of health.
Moreover, ascending and decending the hill in bad weather is a nightmare. The way is dangerous, with the ground wet and slippery. There is not even a railing to hold on to for protection and support.
I would like to call the NSB authorities’ attention to the Disabilities Act, which stipulates that government institutions be user- friendly and accessible. The NSB building completely misses this fundamental requirement.
It is time to relocate the Nugegoda National Savings Bank.
U. Wirasinha, Kohuwela |
E-mail