What about a term called Accessible India. Startup RampMyCity is working on the concept. The sight of ramps at bookstores and commercial buildings in Bengaluru might not seem revolutionary to many, but it stands as a testament to a broader mission. The mission is to make public spaces more inclusive for Person with Disabilities (PwD) and the elderly. Hence, the concept of Accessible India. The company is being led founder Prateek Khandelwal
The journey of Prateek started with a professional life and now he is becoming a champion of accessibility. He had fallen down at an under-construction site in 2014 and this left him with paraplegia. Transition was challenging for him. It was marked by social rejections and daily obstacles like navigating public transport and accessing basic amenities. Just 18 months after the incidence he embraced a new phase of life and it was driven by an unyielding belief that his life could be fantastic.
Prateek recognized a significant gap in the infrastructure. The daily realities of PwDs were often overlooked. He observed lack of inclusive infrastructure even though data of WHO and World Bank reveals more than 100 million people are living with disabilities in India.
Prateek founded RampMyCity in 2020 to address the challenge. The startup offers comprehensive infrastructure solutions such as ramps, accessibility audits, retrofitting, recommendations, urban planning and training. It has also collaborated with corporate houses on CSR initiatives to enhance public space accessibility.
Prateek started with the manufacturing of metal ramps in a workshop and installing those in high-traffic areas such as restaurants, government offices, hospitals and educational institutions. His efforts have resulted with more than 530 ramps across cities such as Bengaluru, Goa, Gurgaon and Mumbai. However, he usually faces convincing establishment owners about the importance of ramps. Many still believe that wheelchair users don’t frequent their buildings.
