Sugamya Yatra flagged off from Shree Shree Govindajee Temple
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 07 2025: Joining the rest of the country, Sugamya Yatra was flagged off on Friday from Shree Shree Govindajee Temple in Imphal to spread awareness about the rights of persons with disabilities (PwDs) and the importance of accessibility.

The yatra was jointly organised by the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Manipur; Directorate of Social Welfare and DSWO Imphal East, Imphal West; and Composite Regional Centre (CRC), Imphal; in collaboration with NGOs (DDRS, DDRC).

Speaking on the occasion, Waikhom Birhari Singh, Deputy Director, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Manipur, said that the Sugamya Yatra is being held in 100 cities across the country under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India.

He asserted that the initiative is aimed at improving accessibility for persons with disabilities, creating a barrier-free environment in infrastructure, transportation, and the ICT ecosystem.

"The yatra will cover Kangla, Khuman Lampak, PWD Complex, Ima Keithel and culminate at Canchipur", he added.

He highlighted that disability is a social issue and not a disease, underscoring the need for proper support systems in healthcare, education, and other sectors to ensure persons with disabilities live with dignity.

He urged the public to contribute to building a disability-friendly society, noting that disability can affect anyone unexpectedly.

The Deputy Director shared that the Sugamya Yatra is being conducted for the first time in Manipur, and will continue in the coming days to promote awareness and accessibility across the State.

"A mobile application called 'Yes to Access', designed to survey accessibility facilities and collect data on the level of accessibility in different places will be launched today", said Waikhom Birhari while appealing to the people to avail the benefits of the free application which is available for both Android and Apple devices.

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