CABE Foundation engages in a range of activities and offers services in the areas of consultancy on disability legislation and policies, universal accessibility awareness, access audits, training and sensitisation programs on a range of thematic areas such as inclusive education, employment, inclusive transportation etc. The programs can be tailor-made to suit your specific needs. Please see Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) before you write to us.
Some of the major activities and services are:-
Access Appraisals
Access appraisals is the first step towards planning and integrating accessibility and universal design in a greenfield project. Thus this involves design reviews at the drawing board itself before the construction actually take place; on-site audits of the under construction buildings and recently completed buildings. We work as Expert Consultants on accessibility and universal design to help contractors, builders, developers, municipalities and their architects to ensure that their projects are compliant to the accessibility requirements in the National Building Code and under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. We also provide third party testimony or independent accessibility assessment of the projects.
Access Audits
An access audit or accessibility gap analysis is the first step towards improving accessibility in an existing building or built environment. It is an important tool to identify infrastructural barriers that may make the building or facility less favourable to use by persons with disabilities. The access audit provides a baseline assessment on which access solutions are suggested.
The scope of an audit includes assessment of approach to the building, parking areas, access route to the main entrance, pedestrian pathways, doors and entrances in to the building, internal components of the building & periphery, horizontal circulation, vertical circulations, toilets and sanitary facilities, orientation and signage, emergency preparedness etc.
In case of street design or transportation systems, the audit covers the pedestrian networks, street crossings/ intersections, kerb-ramps, traffic signals, table tops, pedestrian islands, access to transport nodes & seamless connectivity, accessibility to & within the rolling stock and related services on an equal footing with others.
The access audits are done keeping in mind the needs of all users. We specialise in conducting architectural audits of buildings, walkability audits, street audits, transportation audits (audits of rolling stock, aircrafts, buses, taxis, para transit mediums etc.). Following built environment is our focus :-
- Institutional Buildings: Office Buildings, Educational institutions, Retail and Shopping Centers, Industrial and factory buildings such as admin offices & shop floor areas; Hospitals Clinics, Diagnostic Laboratories and healthcare centres, Rehabilitation Centres, Elderly and Disability care centres, Creches, etc.
- Transportation Infra Buildings: Railway Stations, Bus Terminus/ Bus Shelter, Airports, Sea Ports/ Cruise Terminals, Jetties, Pedestrian Sidewalk network, Streets, Roads and Highways, Intersections, Multimodal Transport Hubs/ Terminals/ interchange points etc.;
- Assembly Buildings: Cinema Halls, Auditoriums, Sports Stadiums and Sports Complexes, Housing associations;
- Tourism & Travel infrastructure including hotels, motels, resorts, guest houses, tourist information centres, heritage monuments and sites, Museums, Parks and Gardens, Religious and cultural buildings etc.
- Transport systems: Accessibility of Trains coaches and Rolling stock, Buses, para transit, taxis, Ships, Boats & Ferries, aircrafts, heritage trains and unconventional modes of transports.
Please write to access@cabefoundation.com for your access audit requirements.
Access Awareness / Audit Training
Govt. of India has published Guidelines on Accessibility in built environment that prescribe mandatory design requirements for all public buildings. National Building Code 2016 details out specific accessibility provisions in buildings open to public - whether govt or privately owned, including housing. Often the practicing professionals (architects, interior designers, engineers) are not well acquainted with these requirements, hence the need of such training for professionals. As these requirements are mandatory, students of architecture, urban planning, interior design, civil engineering, rehabilitation professionals or NGOs working with people with disabilities also greatly benefit from such /similar training. Length & Content of the Training programs can be customised keeping in mind the educational background of the trainees and specific expectations.
Please write to training@cabefoundation.com for your access training requirements.
Disability Equality Sensitisation
Prior awareness & sensitisation on disability & diversity helps organisations in meeting their legal, social & business obligations with confidence. A staff with such an exposure is better equipped & more confident to deal with disabled customers/ colleagues. Such sensitisation programs can be tailor-made for each industry such as hospitality; white collar/ Blue collar set ups; transportation systems such as Buses, railways, airlines/ aerodrome operators, taxi operators or para-transit systems; judiciary, law enforcement agencies, legal & para-legal staff; Primary/ Middle & Higher Education managers & educators; doctors & para-medical staff; members of panchayat, urban local bodies, legislative assemblies, etc.
Please write to training@cabefoundation.com for your staff training requirements.
Legal Aid Services
CABE Foundation is also running an initiative for disability rights through a web platform www.disabilityrightsindia.com to share the periodic updates on developments in disability law and policy formulation. It provides Legal Aid, Legal Counselling and conducts Capacity Building Webinars and Workshops for legal fraternity, both at the bar and the bench, professionals, para-legal workers, Panchayati Raj Members, Legislators, Administrators, Police officials, NGOs and DPOs, other professionals and community workers etc. Foundation also provides guidance on how to file petitions under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016.
If you are seeking a legal advise to pursue your case, please book your appointment by writing to us on the following emails:
email: legal@cabefoundation.com | info@disabilityrightsindia.com
Consultancy Projects
Whether you are undertaking research around accessibility, inclusion, transportation, mobility and allied areas and need advise; or undertaking a building construction project of any size / scale and need an "accessibility & universal design expert" on the project team; or simply renovating your office premises or residence and need an expert advise to make it friendly to seniors and people with disabilities; or you need professional help in areas of accessibility, green buildings, sustainability, project formulation and management; or need to implement disability rights legislations and policies on inclusive education, inclusive employment, reservations, etc., you are at the right place.
Please write to info@cabefoundation.com for your consultancy requirements.