CAG audit of accessibility for disabled in government buildings soon

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has ordered a pan-India audit of disability features in government buildings constructed or retro-fitted over the last one year. The buildings come under the purview of the government’s primary construction arm – Central Public Works Department

CAG has identified government buildings across at least 15 zones including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Jammu, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Patna and Kolkata. The all-India compliance audit has been ordered to examine whether disability features have been included in public buildings which were either constructed or retro-fitted (as per the demand of the ministries or government departments housed in the building) between April 2022 and March 2023.

The audit is an attempt to gauge how far the disability features have been effectively implemented and the ease of access for the differently-abled. A source, who did not wish to be identified, told ET, “Field visits will be conducted along with CPWD officers in the identified buildings and physical verification will be done to check the efficacy of the provisions.”


CPWD had formulated Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier-free Built Environment for Disabled and Elderly Persons in 1998. These were updated as Harmonised Guidelines in 2016 and finally as Harmonised Guidelines and Standard for Universal Accessibility in lndia 2021. The guidelines detail out finer aspects including placement and height of handrails in lifts, gradient of ramps, Braille displays, tactile strips and audio messages in lifts. “While disability features in new buildings are easier to implement, its retro-fitting of old buildings is a tougher job. This is why there could be deficiencies which the audit will try and find out,” said the source quoted above.

CAG’s principal director of audit (Infrastructure), who has been entrusted with the responsibility of driving the audit, will also suggest ways to address deficiencies found during surveys. The audit is significant as it examines a major part of the Centre’s flagship mission – Accessible India campaign. The flagship programme, launched in 2015, had envisaged creating a barrier-free environment for the differently-abled to live with dignity. It has three major components – the built-up environment, transport sector and the information technology ecosystem. The audit will address a part of the first component of the built-up environment.