A presentation by Interreg Project DANOVA: Innovative Transportation Services for Blind and Partially Blind Passengers in Danube Region was held today at Sarajevo International Airport. This is a transnational cooperation project funded by the ERDF – European Fund for Regional Development; the IPA – Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance and the ENI – European Neighbourhood Instrument.
Different entities (ports, airport and research institutions and many others) participate in this project, as Berin Riđanović, the Project Manager explained.
''Every project member of the team had a specific role and a specific task to implement as a part of the project. We installed tactile paths and tactile guidance paths at Sarajevo International Airport and we also modernized the web page. However, the activities cover broader area, from drawing up certain documents, improving the infrastructure for all types of transportation – road, rail and air transportation, as well as finding the best software solutions for guidance of blind and partially sighted persons when they use all types of transportation'', said Riđanović.
He added that in general, there was a potential to work even more. Riđanović pointed out the intermodal transportation as some of additional solutions for facilitation of travel communication for blind and partially sighted persons, i.e. connecting of all modes of transportation. Specifically, it means that if blind and partially sighted persons come to the airport, that they have guidance, i.e. instructions for movement in bus or train, but that they also have instructions for movement when they come to the city or at the train/bus station, that they have the option to use tactile paths.
Fikret Zuko, the Director of the Blind Association of Sarajevo Canton, pointed out that this project was very significant for them because of its goal to provide more independent life and functioning.
''We have been included in the project at its very beginning and our people have participated in almost all of the activities that have been taking place at the airport and we have been there to see the project is about to end. Construction works at our airport have not been completed so far, but what we have seen so far is very good and I believe that in the future, all who would have the opportunity to travel by plane will be more independent in using the airport's services“, said Zuko.
The aim of the DANOVA project is to improve the accessibility of airports, ports, and train/bus stations by developing new set of services and competences in order to allow them to have a full access to all transportation information and services which will allow that visually impaired passengers have a full access to transportation information and services.