DU college develops navigation system to help persons with disabilities move independently | Education News
2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 27, 2026 06:38 PM IST
Students from Delhi University‘s Maitreyi College have launched SUGAM — Smart, Universal, Guided, Accessible Mobility — an indoor navigation system designed to help persons with visual, hearing and mobility impairments navigate buildings independently. The college described it as India’s first student-led inclusive indoor navigation system.
Developed by students under faculty guidance, SUGAM uses voice guidance, visual and haptic alerts, multilingual support and digital tools to improve accessibility within indoor spaces.
The system offers voice-enabled navigation for persons with visual impairments, step-by-step guidance for users with mobility challenges, and visual and vibration-based alerts for those with hearing impairments. It also includes multilingual support, an integrated digital pass system for campus access and events, and an audio signage feature that allows users without smartphones or digital literacy to navigate buildings.
According to the press statement, the platform is designed to make campus spaces more accessible and enable persons with disabilities to participate fully in academic and extracurricular activities, including college fairs and events.
The system was launched in the presence of Dr Mathew Varghese, who conceptualised the project, along with Prof. Haritima Chopra, Principal of Maitreyi College, Prof Smriti Singh, the project lead, Amitabh Kant, former CEO of NITI Aayog, and the Registrar of the University of Delhi.
Speaking at the launch, the dignitaries described SUGAM as an indigenous innovation with the potential to be adopted in public spaces such as hospitals, educational institutions and commercial complexes.
The project was developed by a multidisciplinary team comprising students and faculty members from departments including Computer Science, Physics and Sociology. The college also acknowledged contributions from CURE India, Dr. Prajwalit Shika, and Ameya Meattle, a high school student from Singapore, for supporting the development of the audio signage component.
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Maitreyi College said SUGAM is envisioned as a scalable accessibility solution that can be deployed beyond campuses to improve independent access to public infrastructure for persons with disabilities.