This Day, That Year

In 1991, the country’s first tactile paving was put into use in Beijing as seen in the photo from Aug 14, 1991, in China Daily.

The path stretched 1.6 kilometers in the downtown area.

Tactile paving is a system of textured surfaces which allow the visually impaired to naviother

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up policy.

gate their way.

There are more than 1,600 km of such paving in the capital.

In 2001, the central government passed a law requiring tactile paving to be built along major streets in cities.

However, many “blind lanes” on sidewalks often have discarded bicycles or

The newspaper and beyond

obstacles.

And some of the surface indicators were clearly designed to look decorative rather than practical and user-friendly to those who need them.

Local authorities in many cities including Tianjin and Shanghai have realized the problem and taken measures to remedy the situation.

In 2012, the central government implemented a regulation to guarantee construction of barrier-free public facilities.

There are nearly 83 million Chinese with disabilities, accounting for 6.3 percent of the population.

In Beijing, barrierfree buses and taxis are also available in the capital.

Braille signboards and route maps have also been placed to meet the needs of the visually impaired.

Wheelchair facilities have also been installed at subway stations.