Banks urged to make ATMs more accessible to persons with disabilities through voice guidance, Braille keyboards

By The Pulseline News Desk

Banks in Sri Lanka have been asked to take steps to make Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) more accessible to persons with disabilities, including by introducing voice guidance and Braille keyboards.

Deputy Minister U.D.N. Jayaweera told Parliament on Wednesday (9) that banks had been requested to equip their ATMs with facilities that would enable physically challenged persons to access banking services with greater independence.

The move is aimed at improving financial accessibility and ensuring that people with visual and other physical disabilities are not excluded from increasingly digital and automated banking services.

Voice guidance would assist visually impaired customers in navigating ATM functions, while Braille keyboards would enable them to identify and operate the relevant controls more independently.

The call comes amid wider efforts to make public and financial services more inclusive, as ATMs and other self-service banking facilities have become an increasingly important part of everyday transactions.

For persons with disabilities, the lack of accessible features at such facilities can create practical barriers and often requires assistance from another person to carry out basic banking transactions.

The introduction of accessibility features could therefore strengthen financial independence while also supporting broader efforts to ensure equal access to essential services.

The Government’s request to banks places the focus on adapting existing banking infrastructure rather than expecting persons with disabilities to rely on alternative arrangements.

With banking services increasingly shifting towards automated and digital platforms, ensuring accessibility at the physical points where customers interact with these services is likely to remain an important aspect of financial inclusion in Sri Lanka.