Dr Bhushan Punani

General Secretary, Bind People’s Association (India) and Former Vice President of ICEVI Global

Author’s comments

The need for this group arose due to a telephone call from a blind lady sharing her concern that people are not willing to help her when she needs assistance while crossing a busy road in an unknown area. While her question was simple, we had no definite answer. A WhatsApp post was created to invite people to share their suggestions as regards the measure this blind lady should take to ensure that people shall come forward and help her cross the road.

The concept was developed by Dr Bhushan Punani, Former Vice President of ICEVI Global, with the support of Dr B K Panchal, Vidhi Shah and Chirantan, based on comments and suggestions received from around the globe.

Recommendation 1: Use of Mobility Cane

Many people around the world participated in this discussion and shared their thoughts. Based on comments of all the participants, the following recommendations were made:

• Use a Smart cane, Torchit (sensor based handheld mobility device) or any similar mobility device
• Use mask and gloves and change the same as per need
• Keep a small bottle of sanitizer with you
• Sanitize your hands and white cane also
• Always use goggles
• Wash your hands with good soap or use sanitizer to sanitize your hands before moving out and after returning to your place

ICEVI Mobility Technique during Covid or similar conditions

The Educator, Volume 40, Issue 1, January 2026 Pages 16-20
Weblink: https://icevi.org/resource-library/the-educator/#latest-issues

Based on feedback of respondents, ICEVI West Asia developed a cane technique which is named as ICEVI Mobility Technique. A person with blindness should follow the following steps while using this technique:

Step 1: Ask for help from a sighted person

Step 2: Take out Sanitizer bottle and sanitize hands of both Guide and yourself. Pour sanitizer on your palm and that of guide by yourself

Step 3: Take out the folding cane and unfold it by yourself

Step 4: Take a tissue paper and wipe the tip of the white cane or folding cane by yourself

Step 5: Take packet of rubber bands and ask the guide to take our one rubber band

Step 6: Show the picture of knot to be tied on the lower tip of cane which is printed on rubber band packet

Step 7: Request the guide to tie the knot using the band on the lower tip of white cane

Step 8: Ask the guide to hold the rubber band in right hand and move forward and you follow the guide holding hand grip of the cane

Step 9: When you reach other end of road, ask the guide to dispose of the band, thank the guide and continue your journey using your cane.

(Video Film: Mobility Cane Technique)

Caption: Demonstration of use of rubber band at the tip of the cane as cane user and guide cross the pedestrian crossing to reach the waiting bus.

Recommendation 2: Use of Human Guide Technique during Covid or similar situation

In a standard human guide technique, a blind person follows basic techniques of human guide such as touch technique, hand position (hold hand just above the elbow), distance (blind person should be half feet behind) etc. Please don’t come in direct contact with your guide

ICEVI Reverse Human Guide Technique: During conditions like Covid when maintaining social distancing is mandatory, a new technique “Reverse Human Guide Technique” emerged through comments of participants of the WhatsApp group. In this technique, a sighted guide directs the person while walking behind a blind person

Step 1:  Person with blindness asks for help of a sighted guide

Step 2: Person with blindness explains human guide should give verbal instructions while walking 3 feet behind him

Step 2: Person with blindness walks ahead and sighted guide walks behind maintaining 3 feet distance

Step 3: Person with blindness takes out his/her white can and walks as guided by the guide

Step 4: Sighted guide directs a person by giving instructions like, stop, walk slowly, move right, move left, turn right, turn left, take right U turn, take left U turn etc.

Step 5: Guide announces that the destination has been reached as desired by the blind person

Step 6: Person with blindness thanks the guide and walks across using his cane

(Video film: Human Guide Technique)

Caption: The human guide is walking behind the person using the cane as they cross at a pedestrian crossing. Both are wearing masks and the cane user is wearing gloves.

Both these Cane and human guide techniques ensure social distancing of 3 feet; completely avoid human touch between a person with blindness and the human guide; ensure complete safety of a blind person; cane technique involves cost on sanitizer, tissue paper and rubber band which is very much affordable; there is no cost involved. The reverse human guide technique is very simple to follow; and it has scope of universal application.

Recommendation 3: Other observations: During Covid pandemic or such other similar situation, a person with blindness should:

Avoid unnecessary movement in public places.

Keep extra bags to put the things he/she purchases

Follow all Govt. Guidelines on COVID in respect of lock down, knowing about containment areas, restrictions on movement and use of public vehicles, social distancing in public places, registration on relevant apps, sanitization of hands while entering public places and wearing a mask etc.

Not remove mask but speak louder if a person can’t hear you and vice versa.

Listen to radio, TV or community radio for getting all relevant instructions and other appropriate information

Discuss with your employer whether it is possible to work from home.

Order grocery and maximum essentials items and make payments as well online.

Use Google maps wherever possible when moving outdoors 

Always carry bags/hand gloves/tissue paper/pieces of rough papers or pieces of old clothes with you. Whenever you need help from someone you can use it. Also, you can use it in lifts/on ramps/when and wherever you need to touch the surface. After use immediately dispose it off carefully in dustbin by wrapping it in carry bag or another paper.

If possible, hire the same vehicle and/driver every time if you need to go out regularly. If you have your own vehicle hire driver on monthly payment basis.

 Use sanitizer before and after taking help from someone.

The techniques described are demonstrated in the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpFHEtu7pQo