NEW DELHI: Chandni Chowk, which is known for its bustling maze of markets and narrow lanes, may soon undergo an accessibility overhaul, making one of the capital’s busiest public spaces easier to navigate for people with disabilities.
A new initiative titled Mission Chandni Chowk Accessible: A Comprehensive Approach has been launched as a pilot project under the Sugamya Delhi Abhiyan. It was launched by Praveen Khandelwal, MP, Chandni Chowk constituency, on Thursday. The proposal for the initiative developed by the Inclusive Divyangjan
Entrepreneurs Association (IDEA) comes amid growing concerns over accessibility barriers in Indian cities, where infrastructure often remains difficult to navigate for wheelchair users, visually impaired individuals and the senior citizens.
Even though Chandni Chowk underwent a major facelift in recent years, the proposal has identified several persistent challenges across the area, which includes narrow and congested pathways, inaccessible shop entrances, inadequate ramps, lack of tactile pathways and poor signage.
Mallikarjuna Iytha, Founder and CEO, IDEA, said, “As part of the Sugamya Delhi Abhiyan, Mission Accessible Chandni Chowk is a unique people-centric campaign built on the collective participation of Sarkar, Samaj and Bazaar.”