Funding Opportunity to Inclusive Public Transportation Challenge

The challenge focuses on inclusive navigation solutions for metro, rail, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), and bus services, improving accessibility, enhancing passenger safety, enabling independent mobility, providing real-time hands-free orientation, supporting seamless travel throughout the journey, and generating field evidence for scaling solutions across cities in the region.

India is home to nearly 9.1 million people living with blindness, many of whom face significant barriers when using public transportation. Although transit systems have introduced audio and visual passenger information, blind and visually impaired travellers still require more advanced navigation support to move confidently through stations, platforms, stops, and boarding areas.

Through this challenge, ADB aims to identify, pilot, and validate innovative technologies that improve the overall public transit experience for blind and visually impaired passengers. Selected solutions will be tested in real-world settings to demonstrate their effectiveness and support future expansion across urban transit networks.

Successful applicants may receive grant funding of up to USD 450,000 per pilot project, with a 10% co-financing requirement. Participants will also have the opportunity to validate their solutions in a new market, collaborate with ADB and key stakeholders, gain visibility among governments and financiers across Asia and the Pacific, and contribute to more inclusive public transportation.

Applications must be submitted through the online ADB Challenges application system after registering on the challenge website. Eligible applicants include for-profit entities, not-for-profit organisations, civil society organisations, research institutions, and government-owned enterprises that are legally and financially autonomous. Individuals are not eligible to apply, and all team members must be at least 18 years of age.

For more information, visit ADB.