Delhi Metro (DMRC)
In July 2018, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) awarded 10 metro stations to Svayam for conducting access audit to make them accessible and inclusive for passengers with reduced mobility & those with disabilities. The stations were - AIIMS, Moolchand, Vishwavidyalaya, Jahangirpuri and New Ashok Nagar, Nangloi, Shahdara, Pitampura, and New Delhi. The Svayam team had conducted the detailed access audit and offered comprehensive recommendations (Access Audit Reports) to help make these stations accessible for passengers with disabilities. Svayam also added best practices to make these stations accessible for all including elderly, women, injured, sick, and those with disabilities.
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL)
On 20 June 2018, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Svayam and the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL),to improve the accessibility for persons with reduced mobility (PRM) at all existing and future IGI projects. As part of MoU, Svayam is to conduct access audits of the Terminal Buildings and Services provided to passengers with reduced mobility and those with disabilities. The agreement also includes user testing by stakeholders, training & sensitization programmes to stakeholders involved in providing services at the IGI airport that will include airport and airline operators, Ground Handling Agencies, Vendors, and officials of DIAL, CISF, Indian Customs and AFRRO’s, etc.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Usha & Lakshmi Mittal Institute Of Management (Bulmim), New Delhi
To raise awareness about Universal Design and Accessibility in the young minds, Svayam, each year, provides internship opportunities to the students of management, engineering, and architecture and law streams from various institutions. One of the major institutions to regularly take part in this internship program is the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Usha & Lakshmi Mittal Institute of Management (Bulmim), New Delhi.
As part of the internship, students are exposed to sensitization and awareness workshops on disability equality, accessibility and universal design, and take part in the process of conducting access audits of built public infrastructure from the perspectives of its usability by persons with reduced mobility. They also take part in research surveys.
Water.Org (FAAS)
To promote accessible sanitation in rural India, Svayam & the Foundation for Accessible Aquanir and Sanitation (FAAS), India wing of water.org, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 2 August 2018. Svayam is the Funding and Knowledge Partner of this project being implemented by FAAS. The objective of the project is to encourage people in rural areas to build accessible family toilets through credit financing. The fund given by Svayam will be used to launch awareness campaigns, create IEC material, hold workshops, and promote Accessible Family Toilet as a financial product for which a family could take a loan. Initially, the project will cover 5 states: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha. The target is get 1500 accessible family toilets built.
Archaeological Survey of India
Svayam's association with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began in 2006 with the Qutab Minar project, which became accessible to visitors with reduced mobility as result of joint collaboration of the two organisations. This success led to both organisations entering in to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) engaging Svayam as ASI's Access Consultant to ensure that all heritage sites, monuments & protected properties under the ASI are gradually made accessible in a phased manner beginning with the World Heritage Sites & Ticketed Monuments in the order of priority.
The joint efforts of both organisations was acknowledged by the Ministry of Tourism by conferring "National Tourism Award of Excellence" jointly on Svayam & the ASI in the year 2009 for the Qutab Minar and subsequently in the year 2012 for the Fatehpur Sikri Group of Monuments. With the access audit reports & guidelines shared by Svayam, most of the Circles of the ASI have started the Access Improvement Initiative. Svayam has so far undertaken access audits of monuments from different circles. Some prominent monuments include World Heritage Sites of Delhi, Agra, Aurangabad Circles and important ticketed monuments of Chandigarh, Jaipur & Guwahati Circles to name a few.
Delhi University (Equal Opportunity Cell)
The Equal Opportunity Cell of the Delhi University had joined hands with Svayam to sensitise students, faculty and staff on disability and equality. Svayam had also assisted the Delhi University by suggesting a new Signage Plan for its North Campus.
Department of Forest (Eco-Tourism), Uttarakhand
Svayam conducted a Workshop on Accessible Tourism at Dehradun in the year 2008 which set the Department of Forest (Eco-Tourism) in action as major tourist sites in Uttarakhand are in and around the forest areas, under control of Department of Forest. At the invitation of Chief Conservator of Forests (Eco-Tourism) Svayam then conducted another training in 2009 at Dehradun, which followed a detailed access audit of Jim Corbett National Park (Corbett Tiger Reserve) by Svayam and a sensitisation workshop for the Forest officials, local hospitality players & self-help groups working on ecotourism in the region. Svayam is working on developing strategies for Jim Corbett and other properties so that in the long run, they are able to improve their accessibility for people with disabilities.
Delhi Government
Government of Delhi has always been supportive of accessibility in public infrastructure and has taken a stand that all infrastructures will have to be barrier free and mandatorily meet the access standards. Government of Delhi partnered with Svayam to co-host the TRANSED 2012 in India. Visit http://www.transed2012.in for details.
Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India
Spearheading the Slogan "Incredible India- Accessible India",Svayam has been promoting the concept that Incredible India cannot be incredible unless it is Accessible to Elderly, Children, Women & those experiencing Disabilities. Ministry of Tourism has found the concept appealing and it sought Svayam's expertise in raising awareness of & training its officers, engineers and stakeholders on how to ensure accessibility at tourist destinations. To this effect, Svayam conducted a one-day workshop hosted by Ministry of Tourism on "Making Tourist Destinations Accessible to All" in October 2008. The workshop was attended not only by senior officers of the Ministry from Delhi but also from various State Tourism Departments, Tourism Development Corporation, Engineers, Site developers & Officials from ASI that set the tone for standardizing accessibility requirements at tourist destinations and in the hospitality sector. Svayam also represents on the Core Committee constituted by the Ministry to promote Inclusive Tourism in India. It is also on its "Technical Advisory Committee" and has actively assisted the Research Team of the Ministry that recently concluded its first ever research on "Problems & Prospects of Accessible Tourism in India".
Delhi Transport Corporation
Svayam audited the new bus Q shelter of DTC and found that although it was claimed to be an accessible one with an International logo of Accessibility placed on each Bus Q shelter, there was, however, no access provided to it from the immediate road or service lane rendering it to be a mere island of accessibility. Svayam suggested a design that was accepted by DTC and is now an integral part of their Bus Q shelter design for new tenders.
Ministry of Urban Development, GOI
Svayam had worked with the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), Govt. of India on two major projects:
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Harmonization of Multiple Guidelines on Barrier-free Environment prevailing in India:
Svayam was part of the core committee constituted by the MoUD that was working to harmonise multiple guidelines and compile standard guidelines for India that are wholesome and encompasses international best practices in barrier-free environment.
- Svayam had also conducted access audit of 64 Govt. buildings situated in different cities of India such as Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Kolkata, etc., and also two buildings each in the approved satellite towns. After the access audits, the changes suggested were implemented by the concerned agencies.
New Delhi Municipal Council, India
Svayam undertook an access audit of the NDMC's Office Building in 2006 which resulted in many access improvements like designated parking, tactile pathways, lower counters, handrails along stairs, ramps on major approaches and signages. Svayam also carried out detailed audit of 240 Public Conveniences in the NDMC area with an objective of suggesting changes to make them accessible to all. Svayam also suggested a model Public Toilet Design with unisex toilet which forms the basis of all future tenders for PTUs under NDMC.
ITC WelcomGroup & Hyatt Hotel, Delhi
Svayam joined hands with these hospitality giants and audited their premier hotels on invitation from them. Svayam, in its audit reports gave suggestions to improve accessibility in these hotels to make them more welcoming to guests with reduced mobility, which are being implemented by the hotels.
India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC)
Svayam had developed accessible Public Toilet Units with ITDC for the Ticket Complex outside Qutab Minar and also audited the Ashok Hotel, Delhi to promote accessibility for persons with disabilities. Encouraged by the experience, ITDC engaged Svayam as their Access Consultants for promoting Accessibility at Heritage site of JalianWalla Bagh, Amritsar and also entered into an MoU for promoting accessibility in all Ashok Hotels under the project "The Ashok Access". Svayam undertook the audit of Ashok properties at Delhi, Mathura, Agra, Bharatpur, Patna, Bhubaneshwar, Mysore to name a few.
Ashoka University, India
Svayam and Ashoka University had joined hands to make the University as the first fully accessible centre of higher education. Towards this end, both organisations had entered into an MoU to integrate accessibility in every component of the Campus. Svayam helped the University at various stages to incorporate accessibility in the campus through access audits and review audits and holding sensitization meeting with the project officials.
Accessible India Campaign
Accessible India Campaign (AIC) is a nationwide flagship campaign of Govt. of India (Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment) for achieving universal accessibility for all citizens including the elderly & persons with disabilities. With firm commitment of the Government of India towards socio-economic transformation of persons with disabilities by year 2020, there is a crucial and urgent need to create mass awareness for promoting and implementing universal accessibility. To achieve this, Svayam has been a proud partner of the Govt of India in promoting the AIC. It has also conducted access audits of hundreds of govt. buildings in eight identified cities & been raising engaged in awareness raising of the Stakeholders on the subject.
Please join hands with Svayam to be a part this movement!