India must embed accessibility into its infrastructure from the outset rather than treating it as an afterthought, potentially unlocking a trillion-dollar economic opportunity, according to Sminu Jindal, founder of accessibility organisation Svayam and managing director of Jindal SAW Limited.
Speaking after her wheelchair was damaged on an IndiGo flight recently, Jindal called for mandatory monthly training for airline staff and steeper financial penalties for mishandling assistive devices.
“A wheelchair is almost like a body extension,” Jindal told PTI in an interview.
“It takes about a year to remake a custom wheelchair. No amount of compensation can take care of that.”
The aviation industry’s high attrition rates demand recurring training, she said, adding that financial penalties remain “the only bit that hurts us all deeply”.
As India prepares bids for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympics, Jindal argued accessibility must be embedded from the blueprint stage.
“When​India must embed accessibility into its infrastructure from the outset rather than treating it as an afterthought, potentially unlocking a trillion-dollar economic opportunity, according to Sminu Jindal, founder of accessibility organisation Svayam and managing director of Jindal SAW Limited.
Speaking after her wheelchair was damaged on an IndiGo flight recently, Jindal called for mandatory monthly training for airline staff and steeper financial penalties for mishandling assistive devices.
“A wheelchair is almost like a body extension,” Jindal told PTI in an interview.
“It takes about a year to remake a custom wheelchair. No amount of compensation can take care of that.”
The aviation industry’s high attrition rates demand recurring training, she said, adding that financial penalties remain “the only bit that hurts us all deeply”.
As India prepares bids for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympics, Jindal argued accessibility must be embedded from the blueprint stage.
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