Chandigarh: In a push towards inclusive infrastructure, the Haryana govt has made compliance with universal accessibility standards mandatory for all public infrastructure projects funded under the Centre’s Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme.Finance commissioner (revenue and disaster management) Sumita Misra said all eligible projects would have to comply with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, and the Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India, 2021. The move shifts the focus from retrofitting completed buildings to incorporating accessibility features at the planning and design stage.Under the directive, the Public Works Department and the Department of Architecture will incorporate universal accessibility norms in the design and execution of all eligible projects, including new govt buildings as well as renovation and repair works.The revenue and disaster management department, which oversees Mini Secretariat buildings, tehsil and sub-tehsil office complexes, govt residential quarters and transit flats, has also been directed to ensure compliance in projects under its control.Misra said integrating accessibility features at the planning stage would ensure compliance with statutory provisions while avoiding the higher costs of post-construction modifications. She added that universal design principles would help create infrastructure that is inclusive, sustainable and convenient for all users.She said universal accessibility benefits not only persons with disabilities but also senior citizens, pregnant women, children and people with temporary mobility challenges. Facilities such as ramps, lifts, tactile pathways, handrails, accessible toilets, barrier-free entrances and clear signage improve access and safety for everyone.The move aligns Haryana’s infrastructure planning with the Centre’s Accessible India (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) initiative and is expected to make universal accessibility a standard feature of future public infrastructure projects.
