The key facts
- The ramps are installed but not officially accepted into operation — some of them do not work
- 38 ramps are available to passengers in test mode; the first was launched at the Druzhba Narodov (Friendship of Peoples) station
- Five stations of the Sergeli and elevated ring lines have lifts for passengers with reduced mobility; a high-capacity lift is being installed at Chinor
Why the ramps do not work fully
Electronic ramps at Tashkent metro stations cannot be fully put into operation because installation and commissioning have not yet been completed and the facilities have not been accepted onto the metro's balance sheet. This was reported on 16 October at a press conference at the Content Training Center with the participation of the leadership of the Ministry of Transport, Gazeta writes.
The position of the city's transport authority
According to Mirakbar Ikromov, head of the Main Transport Directorate of Tashkent, a recent inspection together with deputies showed that the ramps are installed, but the process of their official acceptance into operation is not complete. «The contractor installed them but has not fully handed them over for operation. Therefore, at some stations they work, and at some they do not,» he noted.
Who is carrying out the works
Press secretary of Tashkent Metro Doniyor Nurullayev explained that the ramps are being installed on the order of the engineering company «Unified Customer Service» of the Tashkent khokimiyat, and LLC «Technopark» has been designated as the contractor for construction, installation and commissioning works. According to him, after the works are fully completed and it is verified that the ramps are indeed convenient for passengers, they are planned to be accepted onto the metro's balance sheet. The metro, he added, has officially approached the responsible organizations several times with a request to speed up installation and ensure quality.
Test mode and instructions
The ramps are planned to be installed at all elevated stations. Currently, 38 of them are available to passengers in test mode; the first was launched at the Druzhba Narodov (Friendship of Peoples) station. Each ramp has instructions on how to use it and which button to press to call it; conveniences for people with disabilities are provided.
Problems with lifts
At five stations of the Sergeli line and the elevated ring line, special lifts for people with disabilities have been installed; however, according to Nurullayev, some passengers do not follow the rules of use, which is why the lifts have broken down several times. «Despite repeated warnings, there are recorded cases when the lifts, intended for people with disabilities, the elderly and pregnant women, are also used by other passengers,» the press secretary said.
High-capacity lifts
On the initiative of the metro's leadership, a high-capacity lift for all passengers is being installed at the Chinor station. While the previous lifts could hold five people at a time, the new ones will be able to carry 50–60 passengers and, according to Nurullayev, meet emergency evacuation requirements. In the future, such lifts are planned to be gradually installed at other stations of the elevated ring line, depending on passenger flow.
