India Correspondent Rituparna Das

Introducing India Correspondent Rituparna Das!

Here at Pedestrian Space we recently launched a Global Walkability Correspondents Network, as a way to build solidarity among walkability advocates around the world and continue to create media on sustainable mobility and urbanism.

We are grateful to welcome Rituparna Das as an India Correspondent, focused primarily on the Eastern Region of Indian sub-continent, to our growing network of individuals who are passionate walkability advocates.

A safe and walkable neighborhood is a sign of a healthy neighborhood.

Rituparna Das
Rainy day in Kolkata, Photo: Rituparna Das

WHO

It gives me immense pleasure to be a part of Pedestrian Space. I have a background in Architecture and City Planning. Since my childhood, I have had the opportunity to travel to many different places. My lived experience has always been an inspiration for me to pursue architecture and city planning and I am passionate about discovering and learning about different places and people.

New Town Rajarhat, Photo: Rituparna Das

WHERE

My hometown is Kolkata, a metropolitan city. However, during the span of my academic career, I had the opportunity to live in Cuttack, Odisha and Kharagpur, West Bengal. Kolkata is a cosmopolitan city and home to people from various regions across India from diverse cultural backgrounds. However, smaller cities like Cuttack Kharagpur also cater to the needs of the local residents.

As I delve deeper into aspects of city life and introspection on city spaces, it has been quite interesting to note that people in older parts of the city are more prone to walking. The organic built form and the narrow lanes were the major inhibitors towards car ownership. Thus walking became the most-friendly means of transport. However, the introduction of motorized two-wheeler led to a decline of walkability in the majority of the Indian cities.

New Town Rajarhat, Photo: Rituparna Das

Sharing the importance of participatory planning is key for developing a city and region. Different places require different approaches and inclusivity is also the key for developing walkable neighbourhoods.

Rituparna Das

WHY WALKABILITY

Every human being begins their life with walking and it is an indispensable part of our daily life. Walkability has been an integral part of our civilization since time immemorial. The residential places which exclusively depended on walking are now seeing a sudden shift to privately owned motorized modes of transport. With the increasing ownership of vehicles, the rate of traffic-related deaths and accidents have also increased. The land-use transportation interaction has also played a key role in sustainable urbanism. Therefore, to enhance the livability of a place it is very important that we focus more on mixed-used development.

New Town Rajarhat, Photo: Rituparna Das

Since childhood, I have always enjoyed walking and cycling to my friend’s house. However, with time and change in place, I could see myself slowly moving away from the non-motorized means of transport and gradually depending on motorized means of both private and public transit. The joy of walking has gradually been shifted to the need/necessity for walking. As an individual, I feel when we are taught that time is money, people start to overlook the joy of walking. In the world of telecommuting, when people remain confined within their homes, it is high time we start promoting the joy of walkability. A safe and walkable neighborhood is a sign of a healthy neighborhood.

As I delve deeper into aspects of city life and introspection on city spaces, it has been quite interesting to note that people in older parts of the city are more prone to walking. The organic built form, and the narrow lanes were the major inhibitors towards car ownership. Thus walking became the most-friendly means of transport. However, with the introduction of motorized two-wheeler led to a decline of walkability in the majority of the Indian cities.

-Rituparna Das
Rainy day in Kolkata, Photo: Rituparna Das

As a Walkability Correspondent, I will enjoy engaging in writing and sharing images of public transportation as well as organizing focus group discussions aimed at rejuvenating and promoting lively livable streets. Sharing the importance of participatory planning is key for developing a city and region. Different places require different approaches and inclusivity is also the key for developing walkable neighborhoods.

Kharagpur-based Rituparna Das is currently a Senior Research Scholar at Ranbir & Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design and Management at the Indian Institute of Technology. Her area of research primarily involves creating friendly environments for children around their residential environments. As a Walkability Correspondent, she represents Pan-India, primarily the Eastern Region of the Indian sub-continent.

Read Kharagpur-based India Correspondent Rituparna’s content here

Learn more about the Global Walkability Correspondents Network here