Nearly half of over 1,000 accessibility complaints filed on Sugamya Bharat app remain unresolved

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) More than 1,000 complaints on accessibility barriers for persons with disabilities and the elderly have been filed across the country through the government’s Sugamya Bharat App since its launch in 2021, but nearly half remain pending, official data showed.

According to a written reply in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B L Verma on Tuesday, a total of 1,095 complaints had been received on the app as of August 14, 2025. Of these, 528 cases were still pending, while 567 had been disposed of.

The Sugamya Bharat App, developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), allows citizens to crowd-source reports of accessibility barriers in public buildings, transport systems and digital platforms.

The app was revamped in 2024 with features like an AI-powered chatbot, improved complaint categorisation and multi-language support in 23 languages.

Data shows wide variation in complaint handling across states.

Gujarat reported the highest number of complaints (375), of which 366 were resolved and only nine remain pending.

Delhi followed with 134 complaints, but none of them have been addressed yet. Maharashtra recorded 86 complaints, with 52 pending, while Uttar Pradesh had 105 complaints, with 61 unresolved.

Some states, including Himachal Pradesh (6), Jharkhand (6), Kerala (25), and Rajasthan (30) reported complaints but had no resolutions so far. Similarly, Union Territories like Chandigarh (40) and Puducherry (3) have not disposed of any cases.

The Minister said grievances are centrally registered and then allocated either to central nodal officers or to State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities, who in turn coordinate with district authorities for resolution. PTI UZM RT