4.4. Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan)

Launched: 2015 by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD)

Objective: To create an accessible environment in public spaces for PwDs.

The Accessible India Campaign, also known as Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, was initiated in 2015 by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in India. The main goal of this campaign is to ensure that public spaces are accessible to persons with disabilities (PwDs). This means making sure that places like government buildings, parks, and public transportation are designed so that everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, can use them without difficulty.

Imagine trying to enter a public building with a wheelchair. If there are steps and no ramp, you won't be able to access it. The Accessible India Campaign aims to change that by ensuring there are ramps, elevators, and other facilities that allow everyone, including those who are differently-abled, to enter and navigate public spaces freely.

Targets:

• Built Environment Accessibility: 50% of government buildings in state capitals to be made accessible.
• Transport Accessibility: 25% of public transport vehicles to be made disabled-friendly.
• ICT Accessibility: Government websites and documents to meet WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

The Accessible India Campaign outlines specific targets that need to be achieved to make sure public spaces are truly accessible. Firstly, it aims for 50% of government buildings in state capitals to be made accessible, which means that these buildings will have features like ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms. Secondly, 25% of public transport vehicles, such as buses and trains, need to be made friendly for persons with disabilities, including features like low floors for easy access. Lastly, the campaign sets a standard for information and communication technology (ICT) by requiring government websites and digital documents to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), ensuring that online resources are usable by everyone.

Consider a city where half of the bus stops have ramps and low-floor buses. It makes a huge difference for someone with limited mobility. With these improvements, they can confidently travel to different places without relying on someone else to help them. Similarly, when government websites are designed to be accessible, people can independently apply for jobs or access government services online without encountering barriers.

Significance for Civil Engineers:

• Need to conduct accessibility audits.
• Implement retrofitting solutions.
• Apply universal design principles.

Civil engineers play a crucial role in realizing the objectives of the Accessible India Campaign. They are required to conduct accessibility audits, which is a process of inspecting buildings and public spaces to identify areas that do not meet the accessibility standards. This helps highlight what needs to be fixed. Moreover, they are tasked with implementing retrofitting solutions, which means modifying existing structures to make them accessible without demolishing them. Lastly, civil engineers should apply universal design principles, which focus on creating spaces that can be used by all people, regardless of age or ability, right from the design phase.

Think of an old school building that has narrow staircases and small doors. An accessibility audit will identify these issues. By applying retrofitting solutions, the building might receive larger doors, elevators, or ramps to ensure every student can enter. Furthermore, if the school is redesigned with universal design principles, the new building will naturally fit the needs of all future students, making it easier for everyone to enjoy their education.

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