“Make beaches in Goa accessible”

Goa transforms into a party island in the peak seasons of Christmas, New Year and the months around them. The picturesque landscape and lure of a holiday in Goa is unmatched throughout the year as well.

Say ‘Aye’ if you have experienced the Goa madness first-hand at least once in your lifetime or know someone who has. For any Indian who has never visited, a trip to Goa with friends is bound to be on his/ her bucket list.

Here’s an interesting trivia: Goa was also voted as a top holiday destination by the disabled in a survey conducted by Umoja – a website that promotes accessible tourism. It’s no surprise right! The feelings, aspirations, and desires of the disabled are similar to able-bodied people.

Now tell me, how many disabled people have you come across while partying or beach-hopping in Goa?  If your answer is ‘none’, then read on.

Since my spinal cord injury, this is the closest that I have gone to a beach/ sea in the last 5 years. 

The pictures speak for themselves about the efforts required to help me reach the shore. You can imagine the plight of the wheelchair (an extended part of my body) on being pulled and pushed through the deep sand.

This situation is exactly what keeps most wheelchair users away from the beach. But there is a solution and it is not too complicated to implement – Beach mats.

The famous Goa Carnival is scheduled in the last week of February. The celebration is filled with breathtaking murals and performances – and most importantly held at an accessible venue – the city roads.

If the beaches can also be made accessible by this time, then we can truly call Goa as one of the best destinations for the disabled to travel and have an amazing holiday.

Please take a few minutes out of your schedule today and sign this petition which will be delivered to Goa’s Tourism Minister – Dilip Parulekar.

The target is modest 1000 signatures. But if you share this with your friends and request them to pool in then we can make a much larger impact and be heard by officials at the Goa tourism department. And more importantly, hoping that this will compel them to finally take action.

I am rooting that this year a lot of disabled can finally realize their dream holiday in Goa.

Enjoying and basking under the same Goa sun as their fellow able-bodied tourists.

Cheers to that and thanks in advance for your support 🙂

P.S. I did a poll and even my fellow Twitterati agree that the beaches are the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Goa.