Strategizing transit induced transformation of the core area of a city: case of mandai metro station, Pune/ Shwetketu Nachiketa Bhave

Abstract

Many Indian cities have older and historic inner-city areas that are considered city cores and have significant historical and cultural value. These city cores are not only valuable historical assets, but also a national cultural identity. Every City Core has its own unique features like, residential core, religious core, commercial core etc. An inquiry into residential & mixed use core in detail is required as around maximum percent of the cores are of same nature. Rapid urbanization has led to issues like congestion, lack of infrastructure, loss of traditional character, increase in density and real estate prices, etc. in the core areas of Indian cities. Transit Oriented Development is a sustainable approach, which can be adopted and implemented along the transit corridors of BRT, LRT and MRT. Incentives like higher FAR, mixed land use are given around the transit corridor by municipal bodies, to reduce dependency on private vehicles and promote walkability. The issue in today’s scenario is that the new developments around the metro stations in core area of the cities are not controlled/guided. Also, while TOD promotes high density, high-rise buildings, on the other hand, in the core areas of cities/heritage sites the development is restricted around the protected monuments. Mandai Metro station (proposed) and its influence zone has been considered for the investigation of the thesis as it lies in the centre of the city. The Pune city has gone through three layers of transformation i.e., Culture hub to Educational hub and now transforming into an IT hub. But in spite of all these, the area has retained its character and culture. But a new insert of BRTS and proposed Metro through main spine of the core has given a strong purpose for impulsive transformation. During transformation, the existing fabric and the Socio-culture of the area will transform, which need to be strategized. These interventions will also help in retaining the character of the core area of the city. It will fulfil the objectives of understanding the deficiencies to overcome and sensitive restructuring of the areas through enhancement of public transport with amalgamation of roads and urban form in the precinct along the transit hub/corridor through a hierarchical development