Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India

Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India

Part of: Prelims and GS-I -Social issues 

Context: The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) released the Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India 2021 through its website in December 2021. Key takeaways

• The guidelines are a revision of the Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier-Free Built Environment for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly Persons.
• Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) 
• Drafted by a team of the IIT-Roorkee and the National Institute of Urban Affairs of the MoHUA, the revised guidelines aim to give a holistic approach.
• Earlier, the guidelines were for creating a barrier-free environment, but now the focus is on universal accessibility
• The guidelines say ramps are extremely crucial for providing an accessible mobility option, but it is equally important to understand that ramps have to adhere to given guidelines.
• The guidelines provide the gradient and length of ramps.
• The guidelines are not just for persons with disabilities (PwD), but for those involved in planning projects, from the construction of government buildings to master-planning cities.