Mosques to be made handicap accessible

ANKARA

The mosques will be reorganized for the accessibility for disabled citizens. DHA photo

Money collected from mosques will be used to make them handicap accessible, the Directorate of Religious Affairs has announced.

The directorate made the announcement in the Ramadan feast prayer sermon, asking for financial aid from citizens. Disabled citizens have a fundamental right to perform religious rituals at places of worship, the sermon said, adding that they have some problems entering and exiting mosques. The directorate has started restoration work in all Turkish mosques, and has also conducted some studies about the accessibility of mosques for disabled citizens as well as the design and implementation of accessibility features, daily Bugün reported yesterday.
 
Special elevators for historical mosques

Special elevators for disabled and elderly people will be installed on the stairs of historical mosques to provide safe transport without spoiling the historical structure. Different projects have been developed for different disabilities. An LED light system will be installed on minarets to allow the hearing impaired to visually perceive the calls to prayer.

For visually impaired citizens there will be carpets made from a special material. Guiding floor tiles and handles will be installed on walls to enable the visually impaired to find their way. The entrance gates of mosques will be flat, and the stairs will be low.

Furthermore, separate toilets will be made for people with orthopedic disabilities. Wheelchair-accessible ablution areas will also be installed. Wheelchair users will be able to enter mosques in their wheelchairs and stand with them.