All Indian Hotels now to become accessible for people with Disabilities

We have been waiting for this for a long time. It was last year when AccessAbility was invited to be part of the tourism ministry's working group under their HRACC (Hotel & Restaurant Approval & Classification Committee) to assist and guide them in revising the current hotel star rating system. As a result of a one year long effort, the revised HRACC guidelines (issued July 23, 2009) are now available online at http://www.incredibleindia.org/newsite/pdf/Guidelines_for_classification_of_Hotels.pdf

Although all of our inputs have not been incorporated and the battle for improvement will continue to be ongoing, I am thrilled to note that the revised guidelines make it mandatory for all existing (including budget hotels) and upcoming hotels to comply with the following minimal criterion latest by September 01, 2010 :-
* have an accessible entrance,
* provide access to all public areas,
* have at least one unisex accessible restroom in the lobby, and
* have at least one accessible guest room with an accessible en-suite shower facility.