Alliance for Inclusion and Accessibility

Mr. Chandra Pratap Gohal, CEO - Smart City Jabalpur delivered the Special Address at the workshop.

He expressed deep gratitude to the I for Humanity Foundation, technical experts, and the state government for initiating accessibility training in Jabalpur. Highlighting personal experiences and past government campaigns, the speaker underscores the urgent need to build inclusive and accessible infrastructure across cities—especially for the elderly, children, and people with disabilities.

He emphasized that while new infrastructure is becoming more inclusive, 90% of urban development is already in place and must be retrofitted. A lack of awareness and technical expertise among engineers and planners often results in flawed, non-functional accessibility features. He recounted attending an international workshop that demonstrated how universal design benefits everyone—from mothers with strollers to people with disabilities. He further mentioned accessibility is not just a design or budget issue—it’s about empathy, dignity, and social responsibility.

Mr Gohal committed that the Jabalpur Smart City team and Municipal Corporation will implement inclusive practices and follow expert recommendations to ensure no one is left behind.





Juuhi Rajput | Smart City Jabalpur | UN-HABITAT | NICMAR University | Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs | Jagat Bahadur Singh Annu | PMO India | UN SDG Action Campaign | Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India | United Nations | United Nations Development Programme - UNDP | World Bank India | World Bank | GIZ,German International Cooperation | UNICEF India | UNICEF