“Making Every Journey Accessible”
Guidance on First & Last-Mile Accessible Transport in India - A collaborative effort to move accessible mobility from policy intent to implementation
The Centre for Accessibility in Built Environment (CABE) Foundation is pleased to announce launch of its collaborative contribution to the “Guidance Document on Improving First and Last Mile Accessible Transport for Persons with Disabilities in India,” developed under the Sustainable Urban Mobility – Air Quality, Climate Action and Accessibility (SUM-ACA) project of GIZ India.
CABE Foundation contributed its expertise in inclusive mobility, accessibility and universal design to this important initiative, with Mr. Subhash Chandra Vashishth, accessibility expert and representative of CABE Foundation, serving as an author of the guidance document.
CABE is honoured to have collaborated with GIZ India and the SUM-ACA project on this work and looks forward to the guidance being taken forward by the concerned stakeholder ministries, government agencies, transport authorities, urban local bodies, mobility operators and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
GIZ India’s SUM-ACA Project: Advancing Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Mobility
The guidance forms part of the broader objectives of GIZ India's Sustainable Urban Mobility – Air Quality, Climate Action and Accessibility (SUM-ACA) project under the Green Urban Mobility Partnership (GUMP) between India and Germany..
SUM-ACA recognises that sustainable urban mobility cannot be achieved without addressing accessibility and inclusion. For persons with disabilities, the accessibility of the overall journey is determined not only by the accessibility of a metro system, bus or railway station, but also by the often-overlooked connections that take a person from their home to the public transport network and from the network to their final destination.
Through the SUM-ACA project, GIZ India has supported work aimed at strengthening the accessibility dimension of urban mobility and developing practical guidance for stakeholders responsible for planning, designing, regulating and delivering transport services.
The resulting guidance on first- and last-mile accessible transport is intended to help bridge the gap between policy commitments and implementation on the ground.
CABE Foundation’s Role in the Guidance
CABE Foundation's contribution to the guidance reflects its continuing engagement in advancing accessibility, universal design and inclusive built environments in India.
Mr. Subhash Chandra Vashishth, representing CABE Foundation, was one of the authors/contributors to the guidance document. His contribution brought an accessibility and disability-inclusion perspective to the development of recommendations concerning accessible transport infrastructure, vehicles, services and the broader journey chain.
The collaboration also reflects CABE Foundation's approach of bringing together technical accessibility expertise and the lived experiences of persons with disabilities when developing recommendations intended for practical implementation.
For CABE, participation in the SUM-ACA initiative is particularly significant because transport accessibility sits at the intersection of several areas in which accessibility needs to be addressed together—including the built environment, vehicle design, public infrastructure, digital platforms, service delivery and regulatory frameworks.
A Guidance Document for Policymakers, Transport Stakeholders and OEMs
The guidance document is intended to serve as a practical reference for stakeholders involved in making first- and last-mile transport more accessible.
It examines barriers faced by persons with disabilities and provides recommendations relating to:
- Accessible pedestrian infrastructure and streetscapes
- First- and last-mile connectivity
- Accessibility of autos, e-rickshaws and taxis
- Accessible vehicle design and factory-built accessible vehicles
- Collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
- Accessibility certification mechanisms
- Driver and transport-staff sensitisation and training
- Accessible digital mobility platforms
- Institutional and inter-ministerial coordination
- Accessibility auditing and monitoring
- Greater participation of persons with disabilities in transport planning
A key message emerging from the guidance is that accessibility must be considered across the entire journey chain rather than being addressed as an isolated feature of individual transport modes.
From Accessible Infrastructure to Accessible Vehicles
The guidance also highlights the importance of greater engagement with India's automotive and mobility industry.
Rather than relying predominantly on post-purchase modifications, the guidance encourages the development of factory-built accessible vehicles and greater integration of accessibility into vehicle design and manufacturing.
This presents an important opportunity for OEMs to incorporate universal design principles at the product-development stage and develop mobility solutions that are accessible to a broader range of users.
For persons with disabilities, accessible vehicle design can mean greater independence, safety and dignity. For the wider population, inclusive design can make transport easier to use for older persons, people with temporary mobility limitations, families travelling with children and other passengers who may benefit from improved usability.
Making the Entire Journey Accessible
For a person with a disability, accessibility does not begin at the entrance of a metro station or when boarding a bus.
It begins at the doorstep. An inaccessible footpath, unsafe crossing, inaccessible auto-rickshaw, unsuitable e-rickshaw, inaccessible booking application or lack of information can break the journey chain even when the primary public transport system itself is accessible.
This is why first- and last-mile accessibility is fundamental to achieving truly inclusive urban mobility.
We look forward to seeing the recommendations move beyond the guidance document and into policy, procurement, vehicle design, infrastructure planning and implementation, helping make accessible mobility a practical reality for persons with disabilities across India.
CABE Foundation Looks Forward to Wider Adoption
CABE Foundation believes that the real impact of this guidance will come through its adoption and implementation by the relevant stakeholders.
We look forward to the guidance being considered and taken forward by concerned Ministries of the Government of India, State Governments, urban local bodies, transport authorities, public transport agencies, mobility service providers and OEMs.
We particularly hope that the recommendations will encourage stronger institutional coordination, adoption of appropriate accessibility requirements, development of accessible vehicle solutions and systematic accessibility assessment of transport systems.
We also hope that the guidance will contribute to greater convergence between India's disability rights framework, accessibility standards, transport regulations and urban mobility programmes.
Acknowledgements
CABE Foundation is proud to have contributed to this important initiative led under GIZ India's SUM-ACA project, and acknowledges the collaborative effort that has gone into bringing together research, stakeholder perspectives and accessibility expertise in the guidance document.
We gratefully acknowledge GIZ India and the SUM-ACA team for the opportunity to contribute to this important initiative, and thank Mr. Manjunath Shekhar, Director Sustainable Urban Mobility and Dr. Shirish Mahendru (Project Advisor), GIZ India for their leadership and co-authors Ms. Prerna Jain and Ms. Parul Sharma for collaboration.
We also thank the peer reviewers—Mr. Tom Rickert, Ms. Vaishnavi Jaikumar and Ms. Anjlee Agarwal—for their valuable inputs and review.
CABE's contribution was led by Mr. Subhash Chandra Vashishth, as Author, whose accessibility expertise informed the guidance and reviewed by Mr. Tom Rickert- the Chief Editor of CABE bi-annual Newsletter- Inclusive Transportation Around the World.
Read the Guidance Document
Guidance Document on Improving First and Last Mile Accessible Transport for Persons with Disabilities in India
The guidance document is available for policymakers, transport authorities, OEMs, accessibility professionals, researchers, organisations of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders working towards inclusive mobility.
About CABE Foundation
The CABE Foundation (Centre for Accessibility in Built Environment) works towards advancing accessibility and universal design across the built environment, information and communication technologies, transport and other areas affecting the everyday participation and independence of persons with disabilities.
Through accessibility auditing, professional capacity building, technical advisory, research and stakeholder engagement, CABE Foundation works with government and other organisations to promote the implementation of accessibility standards and inclusive design principles.