Yes to Access

Introduction

Yes to Access Project project and application is first of its kind initiative aimed to provide an open sourced database where people with disabilities, elderly or any person can access information regarding accessibility of nearby public buildings and locations.

How do we get the data of public buildings?

Yes to Access is a public resourced app where any person can input information regarding accessibility of a public building and rate it on the scale of 1 to 5 and the location is updated directly on the map layer on the app in real time. Each assessment captured through the app becomes a contribution to a much larger movement of accessibility awareness and bridges the information gap.

Building Inclusion, Together

We collaborated with volunteer groups, student groups, corporates, civil society groups to organise Yes to Access mapping drive where we selected a stretch of locations to conduct mapping drives of public buildings and spread awareness regarding accessibility norms for public spaces in India emphasizing strongly that accessibility is not a community specific issue but a larger problem which needs participation from wider society.

Impact in Numbers

Over 2 lakh accessibility checks have been conducted using Yes to Access application, across 14 location types from various regions across the country. The most active regions in terms of reporting were Karnataka, Goa and Odisha, reflecting a strong engagement and awareness from users in these states.

Location types such as schools, hospitals, restaurants, malls, parks, government buildings and specific features within these given types, give further insight into integrating the need for greater attention to inclusive infrastructure. This data can be reflected below.

4 out 5 criteria offer data showing the non availability of the features to be exceeding their availability by a considerable amount. Excepting ramps which show a majority on its availability.

Why This Matters

As of now, Yes to Access app aims to bridge the critical data and information gaps regarding accessibility in the public domain for the app users, specifically for persons with disabilities and elderly. It also aids government to make policy and infrastructural changes to make public places accessible by using the app data. Yes to Access has been endorsed by the Department of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. APD has signed a MOU with the ministry under which Sugamya Yatras were conducted throughout the nation in which government officials and civil society organisations participated in the accessibility mapping of public buildings throughout the nation.