Joy Of Making Travel More Accessible

With Planet Abled, the enterprising Neha Arora has created a one-stop travel shop for the disabled.

- Rimme Dirchi

The journey of Planet Abled, a company that provides travel solutions to the disabled, began when its founder Neha Arora was a little girl. Trained to be an engineer, 33-year old Arora spent nine years in the corporate sector, but she always knew what she wanted to do in life. With disabled parents—her mother is wheelchair-bound and her father is blind —Arora believes there is a sense of discrimination when it comes to access to public spaces. Arora explains: “As kids, my sister and I wanted to travel with our parents. All of us shared our love for travel, despite many complications along the way. We have always been there to take care of our parents, but I realised there was more that I could do. Everyone loves to travel, including people with disabilities, that is where the idea of Planet Abled germinated.’’

Given that public infrastructure is still not very accessible to people like her parents, Arora wanted to start a conversation on social inclusion. She hosts workshops on the subject with different entities and even engages with not for profits to create more awareness. Public transport in India, like buses and trains, are devoid of accessible platforms for people with disabilities. Even when it comes to every day work commute, there are many challenges one faces with public transport. In such scenarios, travelling can sometimes feel like a luxury, she says.