Project Details

CLIENT/FUNDER:: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
DURATION:: 2 years
STARTING FROM:: 01-08-2019

PROJECT WEB LINK:
PROJECT LOCATION:: Varanasi, Pune
PROJECT LEAD:: Utsav Choudhury

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The Building, Safe, Accessible and Inclusive Indian Cities (BASIIC) project was formulated in September 2019 with an aim to support Indian cities towards ensuring universal access and strengthening the institutional capacities of cities to be sensitive to the needs of persons with disabilities and other marginalised groups. The project is being implemented with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Broadly, the key activities undertaken under the BASIIC are - formulation of focused policy-level interventions; pilot demonstration of innovative solutions; undertaking of knowledge training and capacity development and; formulation of quality knowledge and research. To facilitate and drive this initiative, a Technical Assistance and Support Unit (TASU) was established at NIUA in October 2019. Over the past two years, TASU has created a vast knowledge network that includes government agencies, civil society organisations, research and academic institutions, start-ups across the globe. In collaboration with its knowledge partners, it has developed a reservoir of knowledge products, guidelines, and IEC materials, provided technical assistance on the ground and continuously engaged in dialogues to advocate for disability inclusion. Some noteworthy achievements of the project include; revision of the Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier-Free Built Environment for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly Persons in collaboration with IIT-Roorkee; formulation of an Inclusive Cities Framework in collaboration with IIT-Kharagpur, preparing a City Audit toolkit, and launching a training programme for city officials on fundamentals of disability inclusion in collaboration with AIILSG. TASU is also working closely with the partner city of Varanasi for making its public spaces more accessible and inclusive.