Lifting the Barriers: Accessible and Inclusive Urban Planning- A Case of Trivandrum City

Abstract

People with disabilities have the same basic right of access as any other citizen. An inclusive and accessible physical environment is a critical element in mainstreaming disabled people, particularly in developing countries such as India. A freely accessible environment without any physical barrier is the most important requirement of an inclusive society as it determines what differently abled people can be and do. With the increased emphasis on the rights of differently abled people in recent years, it is important to understand the barriers faced by them when accessing the public spaces and facilities. This paper uses focus group discussions and interviews to try to determine the disabling factors in the urban environment that prevent disabled people from participating and explores the role of urban planning in making an accessible and inclusive city. For this the Smart city mission Trivandrum was taken as a platform, as improving the quality of citizens' life is a major goal of India’s smart cities development.