ACCESSIBILITY AT WORLD HERITAGE SITES – AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH

Negi, Abha (Ms)

Svayam, New Delhi, India

Chaudhry, Sonal (Ms)

Svayam, New Delhi, India

“The problem is not how to wipe out the differences but how to unite with the differences intact”. – Rabindranath Tagore

A rich heritage and diverse cultural milieu of India is a unique combination that few have been able to resist through the centuries. The legendary Indian hospitality offers unforgettable experience to visitors. The sights and sounds of India leave an indelible mark on the soul.

India has 29 world heritage sites which are valued for their impeccable exquisiteness, diversity and historical significance. However, like many of the historical monuments world over, the monuments and tourist attraction sites in India fail to welcome people with diverse needs due to inherent physical and informational barriers.

The physical layout and structure of the heritage sites belong to an era when emphasis was laid on grandeur and colossal structures which included long flight of steps, cobbled pathways, or multiple levels that added to the opulence of the façade. This meant that issues of seamless accessibility were not addressed. This general lack of consideration by default rendered this collective public heritage inaccessible to the elderly, children and people with reduced mobility.

Disability is a normal component of life, varying in its degree, diversity and distribution and is likely to affect all of us to a greater or lesser extent at some point in our lives. (Penton 2000: 1) Due to barriers in environment, a large chunk of people have been denied access to leisure and holidaying. Disabled and the elderly wish to travel as much as others and are likely to be a significant section of visitors at heritage sites and monuments. Active senior population has the wherewithal and time to enjoy leisure. Despite having sufficient means, barriers in access dissuades people with reduced mobility from visiting or enjoying a site.

Increased affordability and affinity for leisure and travel are driving forces behind the growth of tourism sector in the world. As per a recent study, leisure travel constitutes over 70 percent of the total spent on tourism in India.

At heritage sites, elderly and persons with disabilities often have no choice and have to make use of the same options of travel and are denied the range of choices that others have. Many a times even others find difficulty in enjoying these landscapes due to steep stairs, uneven surfaces and cobbled pathways. Therefore, in order to sustain the ageing & disabled population of varying needs and capacities, access improvements assume critical importance.

An inclusive approach recognizes everyone as a potential visitor and encompasses an environment which is used by everyone regardless of age, disability, gender or background with equal ease and comfort.

Heritage monuments and sites are national assets, tangible links to our past and are often vulnerable. The challenge lies in making them accessible in such a fashion that sustains their significance, and where appropriate enhances their value. The potential benefits of improving access need to be balanced with maintaining the essence and aesthetics of the heritage site.

The Archaeological Survey of India has been forthcoming in their initiatives to promote and incorporate accessibility in the World heritage monuments and historical sites in a phased manner all over India. Svayam has joined hands with ASI as Access Consultants and are assisting them in making the World Heritage monuments and historical sites accessible to all visitors alike.

Qutub Minar is the first fully accessible historical monument of India and an example that can be emulated in other historical monuments throughout the country.

The paper aims to highlight the adoptable measures which can be replicated elsewhere through two case studies and also shed light on a host of challenges need to be overcome through consistent efforts. It highlights the fact that there is a need to raise the profile of accessibility thereby making heritage sites reachable to the disabled and elderly to ensure they do not feel isolated from the mainstream.

Svayam, through its efforts to make heritage sites more accessible, hopes to bring India’s historical richness closer to people from across the world including the elderly and the disabled

References

Indian Tourism Statistics 2011, Government of India (http://tourism.gov.in/writereaddata/CMSPagePicture/file/marketresearch/INDIATOURISMSTATICS%28ENGLISH%29.pdf)

A C Nielsen, ORG MARG report Dec 2007

www.sustaianbletourism.net

Report on Tourism & Hospitality 2011 by IBEF

Report on Problems and Prospects of Accessible Tourism in India by Ministry of Tourism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Heritage_Sites_in_India