Integrating ‘walkability’ in Indian cities : a study in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Abstract

Currently, India’s upwardly mobile population is fuelling a growing preference for private vehicles that are adding to the congestion on the country’s already narrow and dense streets. This trend is alarming not only from the perspective of climate change but also from the viewpoint of ‘liveability’, as our cities grow to house more people. Improving the state of non-motorised transport has long since been touted as a solution, with ‘walkability’ assuming a position front and centre among the policy interventions.

This dissertation seeks to understand the current state of walkability policies in the country, and aims to compare it with the preferences of pedestrians today. The study area for this is the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, whose dense and compact nature makes it inherently walkable. The research seeks to find out the lacunae in existing policies and layer them with the situation on the ground. This will allow for charting a direction for the policymakers of tomorrow to modify walkability interventions so that they are in touch with the needs and preferences of pedestrians, across lines of class, social background, and gender.

The methodology adopted for this research includes qualitative interviews paired with observational research in three study areas of Mumbai city, selected due to differences in the demographic and socioeconomic composition of their residents. The researcher also walked with local residents to better understand their problems and priorities when it comes to pedestrian infrastructure and policies. Additionally, data was obtained from policies, plans, and published guidelines by State machinery to understand the current viewpoint of the governing institutions. Both these sets of data were analysed and key themes were identified to understand the areas in which our current policy infrastructure is lacking.

Keywords: walkability, urban mobility, urban governance, citizen participation