Culture and Walkability in Indian Urban Cores

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-747-7_2How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Walkability; Youth Inclusion; Public Space; Cultural Identity; Social Resilience

Abstract

Walking is closely associated with daily routines, rituals, and collective memory in many historic Indian urban cores. However, modern planning frameworks typically treat walkability primarily as an infrastructure and mobility issue, emphasizing pedestrian safety and traffic control. This paper therefore asks two questions: (1) how does walking function as a cultural and social practice in Indian urban cores, and (2) in what ways do current planning approaches overlook these cultural dimensions? This study proposes a more culturally informed view of walkability by reframing historic pedestrian networks as dynamic systems supporting identity, belonging, and participation. A systematic review of successful walkable pedestrian networks, public life, and preserve areas is performed alongside an interpretive analysis of case examples of walkable spaces throughout Varanasi, Old Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai’s Fort area. The cases highlight ritualized pathways, marketplace streets, and corridors that facilitate social interaction among pedestrians. The findings establish how various pedestrian amenities such as: symbolic pathways; informal venues for gathering; or sensory experiences enhance social connection and intergenerational memories among pedestrians. However, increased commercialization of public space, vehicular traffic, public surveillance, and redevelopment limit opportunities for access to pedestrian systems and other walkable spaces for youth pedestrians who rely on streets as spaces of interaction and expression. The study makes the case for small-scale pedestrianization, context-sensitive streetscape interventions, community co-design, and the recording of walking narratives. Planning priorities can be shifted toward strategies that promote social inclusion, cultural significance, and long-term urban resilience by considering walkability as cultural infrastructure.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Mugdha Hemant Dhavale
AU  - Karan Barpete
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/24
TI  - Culture and Walkability in Indian Urban Cores
BT  - Proceedings of the International Seminar on Designing the Future (ISDF 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 5
EP  - 32
SN  - 3091-4442
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-747-7_2
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-747-7_2
ID  - Dhavale2026
ER  -