Svayam–KPMG Release Whitepaper Putting $191 Billion Accessibility Opportunity in Focus

NEW DELHI: Svayam, India’s leading accessibility organisation, in collaboration with KPMG, has released a new whitepaper titled “Does Accessibility Make Economic Sense?”, examining how accessibility can drive economic value across tourism, sports, transport, and information and communication technology (ICT).

The report positions accessibility as a core economic lever, highlighting that up to 34% of India’s population—over 486 million people—experience reduced mobility, extending beyond persons with disabilities to include elderly individuals, caregivers, and those with temporary or situational limitations. When viewed at the household level, the impact extends to nearly half the population, underscoring the scale of the issue.

It estimates that USD 191 billion (₹16.08 lakh crore) in economic value remains unrealised across the four sectors analysed, driven by gaps in infrastructure, services, transport systems, and digital access.

Across sectors, the findings point to clear economic upside. In tourism, 191.8 million people face barriers to travel, translating into an additional USD 16.6 billion (₹1.39 lakh crore) in potential revenue if accessibility improves. The report further highlights that structured inclusion of accessible rooms as a defined category, along with reliable and standardised data on accessibility features across hotels, tourist attractions, and religious destinations, can significantly strengthen tourism demand. Limited availability of such information continues to deter travel for people with reduced mobility, who often avoid destinations due to uncertainty around facilities and services.

In sports, improved access to infrastructure and programmes could expand participation significantly, pushing the sector to USD 50.79 billion by 2030–31. In transport, limited accessibility continues to restrict mobility and workforce participation, with an estimated USD 125 billion (₹10.5 lakh crore) in annual economic value recoverable through improved systems. The report also highlights that over 262 million Indians face digital accessibility challenges, with USD 37 billion (₹3.11 lakh crore) in annual gains achievable through accessible digital platforms and services.

The findings underline a consistent pattern: when systems remain inaccessible, they reduce participation, limit consumption, and weaken productivity across the economy. Addressing these gaps creates direct economic value by enabling more people to engage with services, markets, and opportunities.

Within this context, the whitepaper emphasises that accessibility cannot remain confined to a narrow definition linked only to disability. A large segment of the population experiences reduced mobility at different stages of life, making accessibility a mainstream requirement rather than a specialised intervention.

Founder-Chairperson, Svayam, Sminu Jindal frames this shift as essential to how accessibility is understood in India, where inclusive systems enable wider participation across sectors and strengthen economic outcomes. “Accessibility is often evaluated at the level of individual assets, whether it is a building, a station, or a website. But people experience systems as a journey. If that journey is broken at any point, access is incomplete. The focus now has to move towards ensuring continuity across infrastructure, transport, and digital platforms so that people can move independently and with confidence,” she notes.

Naveen Aggarwal, Partner, KPMG, builds on the economic significance of accessibility, noting, “Accessibility at its core is an economic enabler. When everyday systems are designed to include everyone, nearly 34% of Indians can participate more fully in economic life, as workers, consumers, and contributors. That means better productivity, stronger demand, and infrastructure that delivers for more people. At this scale, accessibility shapes how India grows and who gets to grow with it. Embedding it into national planning is essential to building a Viksit Bharat by 2047, one that works for people as they are, at every stage of life and in every part of the country.”

Tina Mathur, Associate Partner, G&PS, KPMG, adds to this perspective the broader development impact, adding, “Investing in accessibility creates shared progress across the Sustainable Development Goals. When infrastructure, services, and digital systems are accessible, more people can work, travel, learn, and contribute productively. This expands livelihoods across age groups and communities, strengthens workforce participation, and improves the returns on public and private investment. Accessibility, when planned upfront, becomes a powerful driver of inclusive and resilient growth.”

The whitepaper outlines key recommendations across sectors, including integrating accessibility into infrastructure design, strengthening implementation and monitoring mechanisms, improving workforce sensitisation, and embedding accessibility standards into digital systems.

As India advances toward long-term development goals, the report positions accessibility as a critical factor in expanding participation, improving service delivery, and unlocking economic value at scale.