Constitutional Court orders the adaptation of traffic lights in Ibague to guarantee the mobility of blind people

By the end of July of this year, in Ibagué, the capital of Tolima, the entire traffic light network must have audio systems active to guarantee the rights of people with visual impairments. The order was issued by the Constitutional Court, which analyzed a guardianship that requested protection of the rights of this population and determined that within a period of less than four months the network must be adapted.

The guardianship to which the Constitutional Court responded was filed by four persons, two of them blind, and it denounces that the Ibagué Transit Secretariat has not complied with the installation and operation of sound lights that facilitate the mobility of blind people.

Judge Cristina Pardo, from the Seventh Chamber for Guardianship Review, was in charge of analyzing and giving the presentation of the topic, who explained that people with visual disabilities are subject to special constitutional protection due to their state of vulnerability. He indicated that in this case the situation is more critical, since by not guaranteeing the audio system in the traffic light network, the right of the affected population to mobilize effectively is limited.

In response to the statement, the local authorities assured that they have taken the necessary steps to guarantee the rights of this population. The Ibagué Transit Secretariat told the Court that it has made the necessary investments, but the court revealed that it had no proof of this. They point out that there is a record of progress, but that these are not enough and do not respond to the basic needs of people with visual impairments.

It is worth mentioning that the Court pointed out that the local government does have the budget to intervene in the traffic light network, but that the money has not been executed.

Thus, the High Court appealed to the Ibagué Transit Secretariat not to continue delaying the process of repairing and installing sound lights at strategic points in the city. The ruling allowed time to present before a trial judge a schedule setting out actions to implement new hearing devices in the city's highest traffic points.

It was indicated that the system, beyond indicating the pedestrian crossing, should warn of the proximity of important trade, recreation, education and health centers that may be of interest to blind people and thus access such goods and services.

Finally, the Mayor's Office of Ibagué was urged to review and strengthen its public policy on the accessibility of public spaces for people with visual impairments. The Court indicated that in this process, the foundations or organizations that group this population should be linked to define the possible modifications that should be made to the public environments of the city.

KEEP READING: