Seeking your comments on Revision to IS 4963:1987 Indian Standard on Requirement for accessibility in built environment for older adults and persons with disabilities

Dear colleagues,

Wish you a very Happy Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2023!

As you may be aware, the CABE Foundation has been an active contributor to the formulation and revision of standards on accessibility and universal design in built enviornment in India. As a member of the Functional Requirements in Buildings Sectional Committee, CED 12, of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), we have been working on revision of Indian Standard IS 4963: 1987. 

The sectional committee had recently issued Document Number: CED12(22230)WC titled as "Requirement for accessibility in built environment for older adults and persons with disabilities" in Wide Circultion for public comments. The document is available on the   BIS Website.  

This document has the following salient features which may require specific attention for your valuable comments:

1)  This standard specifies the requirements of barrier free access to, movement within and around buildings, by the elderly persons and persons with disabilities who may have non-ambulatory disabilities, ambulatory disabilities, sight disabilities, hearing disabilities, etc.

2)  These requirements apply to all buildings and facilities open to and used by the public.  These shall also apply to all forms of public housing by the government/civic bodies or private developers.

3)  The reference to the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities, made in this standard shall also mean a reference to such needs of the elderly persons, children, women and persons of short stature / dwarfism in so far as the concerned provision is applicable to the type of disabilities that may be associated therewith.

The last date for sharing the comments is 01 June 2023. It will great to come together to examine the document and further improvise it in the larger interest of having an Indian Standard on universal design based built environment that meets the needs of all users, especially those with disabilities. You may like to share the comments on the document in the prescribed template through the ManakOnline portal at  www.ManakOnline.in.

Happy Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2023 once again!