Digitalisation has revolutionised urban mobility, elevating how people move. The new mobility services enabled by digital platforms, for instance, digital ticketing and payments, Mobility-as-a-Service, etc. have improved the commuter experience.
The rapid development of virtual mobility solutions such as e-commerce, remote working, etc. are transforming mobility patterns by reducing the need to travel. The ubiquity of digital technology in mobility is an essential enabler for making our travel safer, more efficient, accessible, and reliable. While technology can help to build more sustainable mobility systems, it can also create unintended barriers for many, including Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
Technology has the potential to give 100+ million Indians living with disabilities more freedom to travel independently. Contrary to common perception, a large number of PwDs regularly use modern digital resources via assistive technologies like screen readers and magnifiers, hearing aids, specialised computer input/output devices, and other assistive tools in their daily lives, including for meticulously planning and undertaking their travel journeys. These assistive technologies are developed with the assumption that computers, smartphones, point-in-sales devices, internet and web applications, etc. are built in compliance with the digital accessibility guidelines that provide a useful minimum standard. If the digital resources do not conform to these guidelines, they become inaccessible (unusable), leaving out users with disabilities. What this means is that while a majority of the population can book tickets, get real-time updates and make online payments, millions of PwDs are still locked out of the digital ecosystem when the minimum standards are unmet.
PwDs experience challenges when digital accessibility breaks down in mobility, which can happen at multiple junctures. For instance, a self-service ticketing machine is not accessible to persons with visual disabilities if it cannot provide tactile or voice-activated instructions or large text. Similarly, people who are deaf or hard of hearing face problems when audio messages are broadcasted in the event of an emergency or disruption. So, when a train is rerouted to a different platform and the display boards are not updated (only audio announcements are made) usually results in missing the train for the deaf person.
The problem is that most of the time, digital products or services are developed by focusing on the needs and usage patterns of young non-disabled users as the primary, if not the only, potential user group. As a result, the needs of PwDs are not factored in during product design, development, or testing. This failure to design for accessibility by different stakeholders results in the continued development of digital products/services that are difficult or even impossible for many PwDs to use.
Accessibility is an important part of the digital experience. It improves navigation and usability not just for disabled people but for all. Something as simple as high contrast fonts and size adjustments for people with low vision is extremely useful for seniors as well as those in the glaring sun, accentuating that ‘accessibility’ is for everyone! It is also pertinent to understand that if accessibility standards are incorporated into the design or product at the beginning, the cost is as much as ten times lower than retrofitting an existing digital product.
India has a strong legislative framework on digital accessibility in the form of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPWD Act), 2016. In 2015, the government launched the Accessible India Campaign to improve the accessibility of websites, public documents, and media content on TV. Moreover, the government has also issued various guidelines from time to time, the latest being the accessibility guidelines for ICT products and services released by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). On-ground implementation, however, leaves a lot to be desired.
With policies in place, India already has the requisite building blocks to implement digital accessibility. What it now needs is to strengthen the enforcement mechanism to make digital accessibility a reality. Compliance with the accessibility guidelines for both public and private organisations while developing new as well as retrofitting the existing digital resources in a time-bound manner, needs to be prioritised. A robust monitoring mechanism to track the implementation is imperative, as it is an ongoing process. Public procurement as a policy tool can be used to effect change on the ground. The government should incorporate accessibility criteria in its public procurement policy and mandate all its agencies/departments to abide by them. Furthermore, the government needs to adopt a ‘stick’ and a ‘carrot’ approach. We need to put stringent statutory fines on those who do not meet the accessibility requirements and provide incentives to those who do.
Achieving inclusive development will be possible with increased leadership and meaningful participation of PwDs. All ministries and departments should enable PwDs to have a seat at the decision-making table to ensure representation in policy making. Additionally, active consultations with PwDs in the design, development, and evaluation of digital resources; periodic training and sensitisation workshops for professionals, are a few but necessary initiatives for the effective adoption and implementation of digital accessibility.
While digitalisation is being pushed by the government, it is of utmost importance to ensure that no one should be left behind. It takes on added significance in the case of mobility infrastructure that enables all citizens to access various socioeconomic opportunities. In a scenario of a lack of access to mobility, India fails to capture the full value of its demographic dividend. Likewise, not integrating PwDs with the economy translates into a foregone GDP of about 5% to 7%. Therefore, India cannot miss the opportunity to build a society that ensures the inclusion of 100+ million PwDs in the digital age. As the country embarks on the 25-year journey of Amrit Kaal, it’s time to leverage technology and demographic dividend to thrive and become a truly digital economy.
Views expressed by Aishwarya Agarwal
Note: The author is an urban designer and architect who leads the Centre for Inclusive Mobility at OMI Foundation
