Bengaluru, October 9, 2026: Pacta, a Bengaluru-based law firm and policy think tank, has launched the Bengaluru Parks Observatory, an interactive dashboard that tracks accessibility across public parks in the city. Based on citizen-led audits of more than 120 parks, the dashboard identifies gaps in entrances, pathways, toilets, signage and play areas.

Funded by the Australian Consulate, the Observatory is described by Pacta as India’s first citizen-audited accessibility dashboard for public parks. It is available at parks.pacta.in/dashboard.

The findings show that only 34.8% of the audited parks allow users to enter without encountering a barrier, while 36.2% have ramps at their entrances. The audit was conducted between June and July, with volunteers visiting parks and assessing them against a common accessibility checklist developed by Pacta.

The checklist covers entrances, pathways, signage, play areas, maintenance, facilities and operations. Each submission was geotagged and mapped to the relevant municipal corporation.

The audit identified gaps across several areas:

• Entrances: 46.4% of parks have a step-free main entrance, while only 34.8% allow wheelchair users to enter without encountering a barrier.
• Pathways: 62.3% have pathways smooth enough for independent wheelchair use, and 71% are free of obstructions such as parked vehicles, vendors or debris.
• Toilets and drinking water: 29.5% of parks have toilets, of which 61% are accessible. Only 5.4% have handwashing facilities, and 10.9% provide drinking water.
• Signage: While 81.9% have entrance signage, only 10.6% have a park map.
• Play areas: 73.2% have play equipment, and 75.5% of that equipment can be used at least partly across ability levels.

Nivedita Krishna, Founder, Pacta, said: “Accessibility is really about whether anyone can step out of their home and use the shared spaces of their city with ease and dignity. This audit gives Bengaluru an honest starting point. There is a good foundation in many parks, and there are clear gaps that can be closed with the right attention and resources. We see this data as a common map rather than a verdict, and our hope is that the city, funders and residents will use it together.”

The dashboard was launched at a multi-stakeholder gathering at the Indian Heritage Academy in Koramangala. The event brought together civic-tech groups, urban planners, disability-rights organisations, corporates, academic institutions, parents, media representatives and persons with disabilities.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which requires public authorities to make public spaces accessible. According to Pacta, the Observatory addresses the absence of a consolidated, park-level assessment of accessibility across Bengaluru.

Pacta has invited citizens, volunteers and persons with disabilities to contribute further park audits. The organisation aims to keep the dashboard updated as a continuing record of accessibility conditions across the city’s public parks.