Audit of more than 120 public parks in Bengaluru finds accessibility gaps
A recent audit of over 120 public parks in Bengaluru reveals significant accessibility barriers for wheelchair users and people with disabilities. The study, conducted by the law firm Pacta, found that less than 35% of parks are fully accessible, highlighting a need for better urban planning.
Why it matters
Inclusive urban design is critical for ensuring that public spaces are accessible to all citizens, regardless of physical ability.
An audit of more than 120 public parks across Bengaluru has found gaps in accessibility across entrances, pathways, facilities, signage and play areas.
Only 34.8% of the surveyed parks allow wheelchair users to enter without encountering a barrier.
The survey was conducted by Pacta, a Bengaluru-based law firm and policy think tank, which launched Bengaluru Parks Observatory, an interactive dashboard which includes the survey findings.
According to the organisation, it is India’s first citizen-audited accessibility dashboard for public parks.
Between June and July, volunteers physically visited the parks and assessed each against a common accessibility checklist created by Pacta. The checklist covers entrances, pathways, signage, play areas, maintenance, facilities and operations. Every submission was geotagged and mapped to its municipal corporation.
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