Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan’s Agency for Social Protection and Yandex Maps have expanded information on the accessibility of urban infrastructure for people with disabilities and people with limited mobility.
As part of the project, additional information was collected on the accessibility of more than 5,000 organizations in Tashkent, including cafes and restaurants, medical facilities, shops, service businesses and other public places.
The data allows Yandex Maps users to check in advance whether a particular organization is suitable for people with limited mobility.
The information was collected during on-site visits to the organizations. Among the more than 5,000 locations surveyed, 39% had entrances marked as accessible to wheelchair users.
Specialists also recorded ramps at 794 organizations, automatic doors at 613, wheelchair lifts at 502, dedicated parking spaces at 361 and accessible toilets at 249 organizations. Other accessibility features included tactile paving and staff assistance call buttons.
Overall, at least one accessibility feature has now been recorded for 16,000 organizations in Tashkent on Yandex Maps. Across Uzbekistan, such information is available for more than 30,000 organizations.
The expanded data is intended to help people with disabilities better plan their movements around the city. Before visiting an organization, users can check whether its entrance is accessible and whether the necessary infrastructure is available.
Husniddin Kutpiddinov, head of the Social Inspectorate under the National Agency for Social Protection under the President of Uzbekistan, said accessible urban environments also depend on clear and accessible information about them.
“For a person with a disability, it is important to know in advance whether they can independently enter a building and whether the necessary infrastructure is available there. Cooperation with Yandex Maps makes this information more accessible and helps people plan their everyday routes with greater confidence,” he said.
Sardor Kadyrov, vice president for strategic development at Yandex Uzbekistan, said the company aims to ensure that its technologies and services take into account the needs of different groups of people, including people with disabilities.
“Such partnerships help us better understand the real needs of users and create systemic solutions. We thank the National Agency for Social Protection for its cooperation and the opportunity to develop this area together in Uzbekistan,” he said.
To find a suitable organization, users can select a category in Yandex Maps, such as a cafe, hospital or shopping centre, and activate the “Wheelchair-accessible entrance” filter.
Detailed information is available in the organization’s listing. It shows accessibility features confirmed at the location, such as a ramp, automatic door, dedicated parking space or accessible toilet.
Yandex Maps users can also contribute accessibility information themselves. They can open an organization’s listing, select “Suggest an edit” and then choose the “Accessibility” section to indicate which accessibility features are available.
The information can be added through both the Yandex Maps app and its web version. Organization owners can also add and update accessibility information through their personal accounts.
