The State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan has officially approved the "Rules for creating necessary living and activity conditions for people with disabilities in the design of buildings and facilities."
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the committee chairman, Anar Guliyev, signed the new decision to formalize these standards.
Under the new regulations, requirements must be met during the design, reconstruction, and major repairs of buildings and facilities, as well as in the planning of public spaces. The rules encompass functional planning elements, access routes, entrances, internal communications, evacuation paths, and residential or workspace layouts. Furthermore, the standards apply to the information and engineering systems within these structures.
The decision mandates the implementation of "universal design" principles in the planning and construction of infrastructure across the country. This approach ensures that individuals with disabilities have barrier-free access to all public and residential facilities.
Specifically, design solutions must guarantee:
- Accessibility to service points and movement parameters;
- Safety of movement, including evacuation routes and service areas;
- Conditions for timely and unobstructed evacuation during fire hazards or other emergencies;
- Access to comprehensive and high-quality information necessary for navigating and utilizing services.
The regulations further stipulate that accessibility solutions must not restrict or hinder the use of these facilities by other members of the public. The State Committee's General Affairs and Legal departments have been instructed to submit the decision to the Ministry of Justice for inclusion in the State Register of Legal Acts within three days.
