(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Banks have been asked by the regulator to install automated teller machines (ATMs) at select locations across the country for people with special needs.
The directive to the effect has been issued by the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) as part of a broader policy to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy equal rights and access to technologies provided by both, public and private sectors.
The telecom sector regulator ictQatar launched an electronic accessibility policy with the above goal in mind some three years ago.
As part of the policy, the QCB has asked banks to install ATMs that could be used by people on wheelchair as well as those who are visually impaired.
Banks should take into consideration the height of ATMs, and the track for movement of the wheelchair. And ATMs that allow the use of Braille alphabets and voice software technology should be installed for the visually impaired.
For every 20 normal ATMs, a bank must have an ATM for people with special needs, the QCB said in its guidelines that were framed earlier but were brought into public domain recently.
If a bank has less than 20 ATMs it must have at least one ATM dedicated to people of special needs, the regulator said.
Such ATMs should be properly distributed. They should be installed in malls, tourist places, at the airport, hospitals and other service locations. While installing these ATMs banks must comply with the instructions that have been issued for controls and standards of security precautions, the QCB said.
About the general ATMs the regulator said that if they are down or run out of cash during rush hour, the licence of such machines would be cancelled, and no further ATM licence would be granted to for a period decided by the QCB.
If this is repeated three times, the regulator would take "decisive action" concerning granting licence for ATMs, said the QCB. All ATM locations must have Pinhole and Surveillance cameras installed. These cameras must have recording devices with at least 120 days' capacity.
All ATMs must have fraud detection devices fitted within them, said the QCB, whose guidelines also cover mobile (vehicle-mounted) ATM facilities.
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