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Green Spaces-Making Cities Happy, Healthy and
Sustainable Places to Live
• Jit Kumar Gupta
Introduction
World is urbanizing rapidly with
more than half of the global
population residing in cities and
towns. Rapid urbanization,
supported by massive increase in
population, is leading to high degree
of congestion in the urban
settlements. This congestion is,
primarily and essentially, the
outcome of construction of buildings
on every available open/vacant
space in cities and towns. Accordingly, majority of urban settlements are facing a
manmade crisis of congestion, involving congestion of people in the buildings and
congestion of buildings on the land. In addition, uncontrolled rural-urban migration is
putting enormous pressure on urban infrastructures, both physical and social. Major
victim of this uncontrolled, rapid, haphazard and unplanned urban growth and
congestion, is non-availability of adequate open spaces. Lack of community and public
access to safe open and green spaces, has emerged as the critical area of concern for
urban residents. With limited availability of green spaces, majority of cities are facing crisis
of quality of life, quality of air and quality of development.
Green spaces occupy special place in the urban context, because they are known to
break the monotony of brick, mortar, glass and concrete in the urban setting. Green
spaces provide vital lungs to the city for generating fresh air, making people feel happy
and live healthy, making them more productive. Green and public spaces are known to
be major determinant of quality of life of the people residing in the neighborhood. In
addition, these spaces hold numerous advantages and make value addition to the
residents, community and the places where they are created. Making provision of green
areas for residents helps not only in enhancing the beauty and environmental quality of

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neighborhoods but also remain valuable due to numerous critical functions performed
by such spaces. Many cities and places are known to source identity from the quality of
open spaces they promote, create and house.
Defining Green Spaces
Green spaces, by virtue of the numerous connotations and large variety of functions
performed by them in the urban settings, have been defined differently by different
experts in terms of; area embedded with grass, trees, or other vegetation, which is
exclusively set apart for recreational or aesthetic purposes, in an otherwise dense built
environment. Green spaces are also defined as places, which are generally devoid of any
built mass but largely covered with vegetation,flora and fauna, duly supported with
amenities for socializing, leisure and carrying out physical exercises. Such spaces are
meant to provide universal accessibility to the people and communities, from within and
without the neighborhoods, towns and cities.
Green spaces, in the common parlance, are known as land parcels, which remain largely
covered with vegetation, grass, trees, shrubs’. Parks, gardens, playing fields, children’s
play areas and other natural areas, are other forms of green spaces found in the urban
context. Green spaces are generally found to be multi-functional, used in different ways,
such as areas of natural health services, children’s outdoor playgrounds and urban green
lungs. Green spaces not only carry social and economic values but are known to be
spaces which are revered, because of their capacity to create enabling and supportive
environment leading to safety, happiness, and physical activities. However, in the
parlance of urban planning and in land use planning, open spaces are defined as areas
under parks, green spaces, playfields, recreational areas; areas under natural landscape,
commonly open to public access but excludes area which are outside city boundaries and
areas covered by streets, piazzas, plazas. These areas are also known as non-saleable
areas and form integral part of the urban neighbourhood and newly created townships.
They are prohibited to be sold and used for any commercial purposes. No change of land
use of such areas for purposes of commercialisation and urbanisation is permitted. These
areas tend to have minimal built spaces and are made universally accessible with
special provision made for providing accessibility to the physically challenged. Depending
upon the hierarchy they occupy, these green spaces are provided with toilet facilities and
furniture for sitting and socialising. Green and public spaces are known to be major
determinants of quality of life of the people residing in the neighborhood. Development
and maintenance of these green spaces remain expensive and cost-intensive and require
large manpower and resources.
Considering the fact, that Greenspaces are multi-functional in nature, some of the
functions performed by these spaces include;

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• breathing spaces – promoting unbuilt spaces for sourcing and making available
fresh to the residents in otherwise crowded and congested environs.
• healthy spaces – encouraging and promoting physical and social activities in an
otherwise stressed environment.
• living spaces – for improving quality of life and generating happiness
• meeting spaces – creating platform for meeting and socialization among
members and communities at the local level.
• playing spaces – incentivizing children and elders for adventure and physical
activities in a safe, secure and healthy environs.
• Spongy spaces – providing opportunities of absorbing large quantity of rainfall.
• working spaces - creating opportunities for sharing, collaborating and co-
operative working of people.
• Valued Spaces ; creating wealth for the communities and the neighbourhoods.
• learning spaces - creating opportunities for acknowledging, understanding,
appreciating the diversities and complexities of flora and fauna existing in nature
• natural spaces – removing disconnect and bringing nature and human habitat on
the common platform
• socializing spaces - creating options and opportunities for bringing people and
communities to socialize for celebrating events, festivals and activities
• activity spaces – inspiring, encouraging and supporting creativities, innovations
and activities among individuals and communities, in a natural setting
• growing spaces - providing opportunities for nurturing ,sustaining and making
value additions to communities and individuals, by promoting activities and
innovations.
• Identity spaces- providing landmarks for recognition and distinct identity to the
place, area and the neighborhood
Why we need green spaces
According to, ’World Health Organization (WHO)’, globally, obesity and mental illness are
the two major health related issues, adversely impacting large proportion of population
in developed and developing countries. Quarter of the adult population in England and a
third of adults in the USA are known to be the victims of obesity. In addition, mental
illness and depression, are adversely impacting approximately 5% of the urban
population and their numbers are rising. Globally, 6 million people are stated to die every
year due to air pollution. In London, two million people ,of which 400,000 are children,
are living in areas with toxic air. 98% cities in low and middle income countries and 56%
cities in high income economies; do not meet air quality specified by the WHO norms..
Greater understanding of process of urbanization and factors governing the urban health
will be critical to make urbanization more rational , supporter and promoter of better
health and happiness in urban areas.

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Looking at the entire context , two public health issues involving obesity and mental health
have genesis in the adverse environment created by cities, due to prevailing high degree
of congestion, pollution and haphazard and unplanned pattern of development. This has
led to emergence of large gap in the availability of basic services and amenities, essential
for human living and development. With basic and essential amenities; physical and
social infrastructure; services, open and green spaces, eluding majority of urban
residents, prevailing environment helps promoting a life-style of passivity among majority
of urban population. . Indian cities are known to have enormous shortage of green spaces.
As against specified norms of 9 sqm of open space, Indian cities only have 2.7 sqm of
open spaces available on per capita basis. This calls for urgently looking at the entire
context of urbanization and its impact on human health.
Majority of the health related issues and physical health challenges, can be effectively
and rationally tackled and eliminated, through various activities undertaken in the green
environment. Benefits associated with public open spaces / parks are known to include
better general health; reduced stress level; reduced depression and reduced obesity.
WHO studies also underlines lack of physical activity as the major global public health
risks. Studies have also revealed that people using public open spaces remain three
times more healthier than non-users. Evaluation made in respect of benefits of open
and green spaces of the largest 85 cities in USA (population of 57.2 million), found
health savings from parks, estimated to be order of $3.08 billion
Considering the role and importance of green, open and public spaces, policies and
programs evolved for making cities better places to live have also underscored the role
and importance of creating large number of green spaces within the physical framework
of our cities. New Urban Agenda has called for increasing safe, inclusive, accessible,
green and quality public spaces. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, asks
nations to pledge ; providing universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green
and public spaces, in particular, for women and children, older persons and persons with
disabilities. Even the mission AMRUT, launched by Government of India, has also called
for,’ developing green and well maintained open spaces and parks to increase the
amenity value of the cities
Known as “green space”, “public open space”, or “park” in urban settings, these spaces
have proved their credibility to serve numerous purposes, perform numerous functions,
providing distinct advantages for supporting and making value addition to human living in
the urban context. Numerous value additions, made by green/open spaces to the urban
landscape, can be described in terms of ;
• Decarbonizing cities by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions and slowing
global warming.through large scale CO2 absorption.

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• Making value addition to the quality of human living.
• Making cities happy and healthy places to live
• Maintaining, protecting and promoting biodiversity, natural habitats /
ecosystems-creating valuable space for birds/animals in cities
• Bringing cities and nature on the common platform.
• Increasing property value of the neighbourhood
• Promoting socialization and fostering a sense of community
• Providing Social/ psychological benefits.
• Providing resources for relaxation and recreation.
• Giving distinct entity to their places of location
• Promoting better relationship with environment
• Making cities easier to bike/ walk
• Making cities Cool- Reducing heat islands
• Making cities sustainable and least consumers of energy
• Making Cities Spongy -- Reducing flooding by reducing the volume of rain
water run-off and soil erosion
• Making large additions and providing home and space for trees and
vegetation in urban parks.
• Reducing operational/maintenance cost
• Offering cost-effective and natural solutions for addressing storm water
runoff; flooding and air pollution in the urban areas.
• Making cities water efficient by promoting ground water recharging
• Improving environment and minimizing Noise
• Promoting Tourism, generating employment and reducing poverty.
• Minimizing air, water, and noise pollution; improving quality of air/filtering air,
by removing harmful gases like NO2, CO, SO2 and air particulates
• Reducing healthcare /safety services and costs- Through healthy dose of
nature
• Promoting rest, recreation and physical activities on large scale
• Promoting Mental Health ; Reducing Stress and violence; Improving
concentration; allowing psychological restoration;
• Improving productivity; Providing Economic stimulus
• Speedily curing patients; positively impacting children.
• Providing vital lungs to the city for ensuring constant supply of fresh air and
O2
• Minimizing water pollution by absorbing heavy and toxic metals.
• Promoting aesthetic value by beautification and enhancing urban landscape.
• Reducing congestion by making cities more open/healthy
• Offering reprieve from urban environment by substituting grey
infrastructure with green spces.

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• Promoting local ecology and environment by conserving nature ;creating
ecological awareness; serving as islands of nature and biodiversity.
Factors impacting availability of urban green space ;
Despite the fact green spaces remain essential and critical for the health, happiness,
quality of life and overcoming large number of urban stresses and strains, still availability
of adequate open spaces on prescribed norms remain elusive in majority of cities and
towns. Green spaces remain marginalized and don’t command priority , respect and care
it deserves with agencies involved in planning and development of urban settlements.
For majority of developers and colonisers, green spaces are considered shear wastage
of land and resources , because these spaces don’t generate any wealth for them.
Accordingly, all spaces , which cannot be used profitably; where no plots can be carved
out for sale to the public ; areas which remain prohibited for development due to statutory
restrictions; areas which form backyard of colonies and have irregular shape, poor
visibility and accessibility , are generally proposed and labelled as green spaces.
Competing urban planning priorities and high prevailing cost of urban land, also favour
and prioritize the utilization of land for commercial purposes rather than green spaces.
Statutory norms and standards made applicable at local level, generally exclude
specifying the area to be provided as green spaces. This gap and missing link, is
invariably exploited by the developers, to reduce the area under green spaces. In large
number of cases, it has been seen that areas earmarked for parks and open spces in the
planned colonies, at later stages, are either converted into open parking or divided into
residential plots, which are sold illegally in the market
Further, major challenge to the provision of green areas emerges from the unplanned,
sub-standard and haphazard development taking place in the large majority of urban
areas because in such development, which remains generally beyond and violative of all
norms, ethics and standards of planned development, invariably eliminates the provision
of public amenities and services including open and green spaces. Since majority of
development of urban areas in India, remain beyond the planning framework, outcome
of such development leads to perpetual shortage of open spaces in the urban context.
Slums in the urban areas remain the major victims and are subjected to large number
of health related issues, due to total absence of open spaces in such development.
In addition, existing open spaces in cities are also not maintained properly and rationally
and are generally subjected to total neglect. These spaces, over a period of time, emerge
as no man’s land, and are then subjected to illegal occupation and encroachment. With
the passage of time, these spaces are either occupied by slums or become breeding
ground for informal activities and markets.

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Lack of awareness, appreciation, role and importance of green and open spaces on the
part of professionals, planners and authorities, regulating planning and managing the
urban areas and financial constraints imposed by limited allocation of resources; are also
largely responsible for prevailing acute shortage of open spaces in the cities and towns.
Failure of the authorities and communities to understand the context of green spaces in
promoting the health and happiness of communities, providing tangible and intangible
benefits and yielding health related dividends, has led to according low priority to the open
spaces in the planning and development vocabulary of the urban areas.
Sub-division of land into small parcels on large scale and involvement of small time
developers engaged in construction of group housing on a small land parcels/site has,
led to the exclusion of the green spaces from the urban development. High population
density, ever rising prices of urban land coupled with limited supply of land, inefficient
functioning of urban land market and high degree of land speculation has cumulatively
contributed to the limited supply of green spaces in the cities and towns. Prevailing
economic considerations, and market forces remain largely responsible for lack of such
spaces in the urban areas.
Way Forward
• Planning for Green Spaces;Cities, known for their complexties, remain difficult to
decipher and undestand.Cities are more than buildings and people.Cities are full of
dualities and contradictions. They contain both order and chaos; showcasing beauty
and ugliness; housing rich and poor; promoting prosperity and poverty , never static,
always evoloving and devolving and remain places of happenings. Full of people,
activities, institutions and vehicles, cities are choking, short of fresh air and healthy
environs,due to paucity and acute shortage of open and green spaces.Vehicular
pollution is killing environs, ecology, people and cities.Occupying limited space and
limited proportion of land, open spaces always remain at premium in urban context.
With growing cities, green and open spaces become more relevant and valuable and
attraction for inhabitants. Globally,most “liveable” /famous cities are known by the
parks, open spaces, gardens, play grounds and public spaces they house. Hyde Park
in London, Central Park in New York; Pinjore Garden- Kalka; Shalimar/Tulip Garden-
Srinagar; Rose/Rock Garden Chandigarh; Budha Jayanti Park- Delhi are few of the
examples of green spaces, which have put these cities and towns on the global map
of tourism and eminence.
Urban green spaces play critical role in mitigation /adaptation of majority of prevailing
urban ills. Due to their inherent and distinct aesthetic characteristics and functionality,
green spaces tend to serve cultural; economic and environmental purposes in urban
context involving; preserving biodiversity and nature conservation; reducing stress;
promoting physical activities and facilitating social contacts, besides maintaining and

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increasing property values through cleaner, greener, and safer environment.
Neighborhood devoid of adequate and appropriate open spaces negatively impact
residents, promoting a sense of insecurity and increasing perceptions of crime. Due
to large number and range of environmental services offered, urban green spaces can
be considered vital, promoting public good and creating a direct relationship with the
quality of life of urban dwellers. Urban green spaces also provide opportunities for
social interactions, helping reduce social isolation, generate social capital, promoting
greater personal resilience and wellbeing. Considering the role and importance of
green spaces in promoting and defining human health and community well -being,
public health component must be included and made integral part of urban planning
and development processes and tools used for urban planning and development.
In addition to making value addition to cities and communities, green and open
spaces are known for their numerous intangible benefits in terms of, creating positive
attitudes; making people active, happy and healthy; promoting socialisation besides
promoting and preserving bio-diversity , which unfortunately remain poorly
understood/appreciated and poorly evidenced. Considering enormous value they
hold for ecology, environment, people and communities, urban green spaces should
be seen as an essential and integral part of urban infrastructure and not an add-on,
nice to have or a luxury for urban areas. Better tools and methodologies are needed
for evaluating and doing a cost-benefit analysis of parks and open spaces, for
understanding the services they render to the urbanites, communities,
neighbourhood, environment, bio-diversity and cities. Making adequate and
qualitative provision of open spaces in the urban settlements needs objective analysis
and evaluation, so that benefits accruing to urban settlements due to making
appropriate provision of open spaces in the urban areas on the prescribed norms and
standards, should be clearly understood and appreciated, in order to make them
integral and essential part of city planning, designing, development and management
frame-work. Understanding the context, role and importance of urban green spaces
in reshaping, redefining, reinventing, innovating and repositioning of the existing and
future cities and making them healthy and happy places to live, will remain critical.
Making provision of adequate open spaces, using urban planning as the potent lever
and effective tool, will always remain relevant and valuable.
Looking objectively, strategies for providing open spaces in urban areas must revolve
around;
• Promoting /conservation and making value addition to existing green space in
cities.
• Providing green spaces, open spaces, play grounds and public spaces on
prescribed norms, as integral part of city planning and development process

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• Creating a well-defined hierarchy of open spaces in the urban and regional
context
• Defining precisely norms and standards to be adopted for providing open
spaces, at all levels of cities and urban planning and development.
• Ensuring equitable distribution of open areas, covering all inhabitants and
minimizing concentration of open spaces in the city.
• Actively involving residents and communities in planning, designing,
development and maintenance of open spaces by making green spaces
community-led programme rather than government led agenda.
• Promoting and celebrating green spaces, by organizing competitions and
dedicated festivals like Rose/chrysanthemum Festival etc. besides
recognizing and awarding best planned and maintained individual gardens
at residential/ institutional level, on periodic basis.
• Preserving, protecting and promoting all existing vegetation , flora and
fauna.
• Promoting sustainable landscaping by using native species/ plants for
achieving economy in the development of adequate tree cover besides
ensuring the survival and growth of trees and saving water and energy to
the tune of 20-30%..
• Promoting Xeri-scaping to minimize consumption of precious water resource
in the landscaping of green spaces.
• Involving educational institutions / campuses having large area, for tree
plantation and creating green/landscaped area within the
institutions/campus.
• Involving and making children and students active partner in greening cities,
and for increasing and making addition to the inventory of green spaces in
the cities.
• Making environment/ ecology, integral part of education/study curricula at
school and higher level of education and creating awareness about role
/importance of green spaces at individual/community level to make addition
and improve the availability of green spaces in the city.
• Defining Hierarchy of Open Spaces; In order to ensure the availability of green
spaces beyond physical barrier and making it accessible to the poorest of the poor
citizens of any settlement, it will be critical to define the levels of physical planning
adopted for human settlement and also the fabric of open spaces to be provided
at each level of such planning. Accordingly, open spaces need to be planned in a
well- defined hierarchy involving; open spaces at regional level; specialized open
spaces like, zoo, botanical gardens; open spaces at city level; sub- city level;
district level; neighbourhood level and open spaces at local/ housing cluster
level. However, considering the large variations adopted in defining various levels

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of planning in master
plans/development plans, depending
upon the size, location, structure and
physiography of different cities,
options of providing open spaces shall
have to be at variance. However,
efforts shall be required to be made
to cover the entire city and all the local
residents and communities, within the
framework of green spaces. In order to
follow the hierarchy of green spaces, it
will be critical that the system of open spaces should be made integral part of the
Master plans/Development plans evolved for the city, clearing defining the area to
be used for open spaces, green spaces, play grounds, and public spaces. In
addition, detailed policy framework and guidelines need to be defined in the Master
Plans/Development plans, for creating such open spaces while working out the
local area plans, on prescribed norms and standards. In fact, a section dedicated
to the public open/green spaces need to be included as integral part of the
Master/Development plans. Chandigarh evolved its master plan following a
dedicated system of providing green belts , to link entire city with the Shivalik
range of hills, located in the north. Tianjin Eco-City planned extensive green
(vegetation) and blue (water) networks to provide quality living /working
environment. Green network comprising of green lung at the core and eco-
corridors emanating from the lung to the other parts of city are the hallmarks of
Tianjin eco-city. Water bodies created in the city are interlinked and interwoven to
enhance ecology and provide attractive environment and space for recreation,
with a wastewater pond rehabilitated /transformed into a clean and beautiful lake,
spread over an area of 2.5 sqkms.
• Valuing People Perception; Urban green spaces hold different social meanings
and understandings for different user groups due to variety of social interactions.
Accordingly, green spaces in cities and towns are used in a variety of ways,
depending upon social and physical factors involving accessibility , facilities,
attractiveness, location, size and security. These determinants are known for their
complexities, interconnectivity, and variance. Accordingly, it is important, vital and
critical, to understand the needs of local residents and the manner, green spaces
may be used. In order to enable urban development to serve and match the local
needs and values besides bridging the gap between vision and ground reality,
public engagement in the planning and design process would be critical for
understanding the needs of the community. Greening of cities, when carried out
without appropriate consultation, study and analysis, may prove to be
Chandigarh Master Plan- Le Corbusier

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counterproductive and emerge as a liability rather than an asset for the community
and the city, where such spaces are provided. The manner in which people use
and appreciate green spaces, assume importance for rational and logical
planning and placing of green spaces.
• Rationalizing Size; The availability of green spaces in urban areas, in adequate
quantity and quality, remains most critical for making optimum use of such
spaces. Use of green spaces is found to be positively linked with the size of green
space. The size of the urban green space invariably dictates the manner in which
space will be used by the community and the users. Larger sized green spaces
remain more active and productive due to variety of uses to which these spaces
can be put. Larger spaces may be more likely to be used for active purposes
including doing physical activity, playing games, socializing, resting, doing yogas,
walking, running, holding events, functions etc., while smaller spaces remain
largely passive, used essentially for socializing, resting, gossiping and restitution.
Minimum size of green space to be recognized as open spaces has been
mandated to be 500 sqm by the URPDFI guidelines. However, size, shape and
extent of the green spaces will largely depend upon/ dictated by the planning
framework and planning concept/philosophy, adopted by the planner for defining
the contours of the neighborhood. It will also depend upon the extent of area
planned and planning norms prescribed by the competent authority. It has been
observed that extent of green spaces remains positively co-related to the area of
the neighborhood/township being planned. Land use pattern defined in the
planning is known to be major determinants of extent of green spaces provided.
• Ensuring Accessibility; Most critical component dictating the use of green
spaces remains; easy, unobstructed and universal accessibility to such spaces.
If green spaces do not have appropriate level of accessibility, such spaces will
always remain marginalized ,facing neglect, abuse and misuse. Accessibility to
site is largely dictated by the location in the context of overall planning; physical
distances (of residential areas and users), from the green space and available
means of approach . Frequent users of green spaces are known to be persons
living in close proximity to a green space, within a distance of less than 0.5 km or
5 minutes’ walk. Crossing major roads are considered major
impediment/roadblock to accessibility to such spaces. Accordingly, green spaces
should be planned and placed in such a manner that accessing it does not involve
any crossing over a major traffic artery/road. Availability of unobstructed pedestrian
pathways and cycle tracks, connecting residential area with green spaces, remain
the most preferred choice of the users in the urban areas. For promoting higher
order of usability, all green spaces should be made universally accessible to all the
residents including , physically challenged, senior citizens, children and women ,
in order to ensure that no inhabitant is deprived of the benefits of green spaces

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created in the neighbourhood/city. In large number of cases where new townships
are created, land developed for green space remains accessible only to the local
residents to the exclusion of other communities and neighbourhoods. Restricting
accessibility despite availability, is seen a major threat to usability and promoting
inequities in accessing the available urban green spaces. In order to promote
universal visibility, accessibility and usability of green spaces pan city , concept of
gated communities would need review, revision and redefinition with regard to
accessing green spces and public amenities, provided in the area for the outside
residents.. Pattern of physically planning , typology of layout plans adopted for
positioning green spaces within the planned areas remain crucial for ensuring their
accessibility. Green spaces provided facing the housing blocks are found to have
high order of accessibility, whereas remotely located green spaces are avoided by
the residents, despite their positivities. Providing unhindered and universal
accessibility, invariably remains valuable and leads to greater use of available
urban green space.
• Promoting Quality ; The quality of infrastructure , elements and characteristics
used in the planning, designing and development of the green spaces are known
to considerably impact the usability of such spaces in the urban areas. Well
planned, well defined , well developed green spaces, having features which
facilitate physical activities, doing physical exercises in groups, having space for
yoga, meditation; space for sitting and socialising; covered shelter for protection
from sun and rain; adequate arrangement of lighting and options for walking and
running besides providing a perception of safety and security, remain most active
and have proved to be users-friendly. Such spaces have invariably been found to
have large number of users. Fencing provided with well -defined entries/exits, for
securing the green spaces, are also useful in giving distinct identity to green
spaces and stopping the entry of unwanted animals and trespassing into these
spaces. Study made in Australia has
concluded that the quality of the green
space was important for de-stressing the
users. Studies have also shown the positive
impact of making environmental features
integral part of the green spaces, to promote
awareness and influence the behavioral
changes of the users for making value
addition to such spaces.
Adding trees has its own context in the green
spaces because trees are known to provide
distinct advantages in not only producing oxygen, essential for human living, but
also provide valuable shade and natural cooling during the hot summers besides
Global- Tree Count

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improving the aesthetics of green spaces. Difference of temperature between area
under sunlight and shade has been found to be approximately 2-2.5 degree
Celsius. As per studies made, every human being , on an average breathes about
9.5 tonnes of air on annual basis. Oxygen only makes up about 23 % of air by
mass. For making available the oxygen needed by an individual roughly, seven /
eight fully matured trees are required at the local level. In addition, a single tree,
on an average, offers a cooling effect in atmosphere equivalent to about 5 air-
conditioners and accordingly trees in the urban context help cities to overcome the
problem of heat island, and urban warming. Trees, by lowering down the local
temperature, help in reducing energy consumption and decarbonizing the cities
by minimizing the consumption of energy involved in cooling buildings. Making
open spaces more qualitative will remain crucial for ensuring the optimum benefits
and usability of such spaces. Accordingly, it should form integral part of planning
and development strategies of green spaces .
• Safety and Security; Perception of adequate security, and safety are other
important features regulating the use of green spaces and impacting the user’s
perception and understanding of usability of such spaces. Rundown and
unprotected open spaces ,having undefined ownership, may often be associated
with illegal activities including gambling, homelessness as well as crime and
vandalism. Such activities invariably lead to large number of users avoiding green
spaces, especially women , children and elders. Physical location also
considerably impact the perception of security of the users, because studies have
concluded that green spaces created in remote areas, away from the residential
and activity areas, are invariably avoided due to sense of insecurity attached to
them. Accordingly, while positioning, planning and developing green spaces,
elements of visibility must be integrated to promote sense of security and safety
among users.
• Social Context; In addition to the quality and characteristics of the parks, social
factors also play critical role in determining the usability of parks. It has been
observed that neighbourhoods lacking feelings of social cohesion has invariably
led to less use of parks and open spaces due to segregation of population in
different ethnic groups. in this context ethnic minorities are seen to be major losers.
Prevailing socio-cultural fabric of the neighborhoods may lead to less use of green
spaces by ethnic minorities. Adequate care has to be taken for protecting existing
residents against adverse consequences caused by higher property values, while
launching initiatives to create green space in deprived neighborhoods to make
them healthier and more attractive, which may lead to displacement of the local
residents, for whose benefit, the initiatives are designed and launched.
• Location; Location of green spaces remains one of the most critical factors in
determining the usability of green spaces. Studies made has revealed that green

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spaces, provided in a distant corner of neighbourhood, have invariably been found
to have less acceptability by the community and are generally avoided by the
users. These spaces invariably face neglect and large scale misuse, abuse and
encroachments. Green spaces provided within a cluster, enclosed by the houses,
are the one which remain most preferred destination for the users. In addition to
being used for majority of the time, such spaces are known to be most safe and
secure, well-kept and are subjected to least encroachment, misuse and illegal
activities. Green spaces provided at the back of houses are invariably treated like
backyards by such houses and are seen more as a dumping ground rather than
an area for recreation and physical activity. In addition, illegal entries are found to
be created by such houses, to get easy access to the green spaces. Tendency of
encroaching green spaces and treating green spaces as extension of the individual
houses are also observed in majority of such cases. Green spaces provided on
the side of the houses are invariably treated as an extension of the corner house
and is enclosed and protected as private green space. Considering these facts, it
will be vital to consider the location of the green spaces during the planning of the
residential neighbourhoods. Planners must have intimate knowledge of positioning
of such spaces so that they are not encroached, misused and abused. Studies
need to be undertaken with regard to optimum size and location of green spaces
to be provided at various levels in order to promote their optimum use. Visibility of
such spaces should remain the most critical and vital factor and guiding principal
for locating green spaces in the neighbourhood. In addition, distribution of open
spaces based on equity should also be built into the process of planning. Green
spaces should not remain concentrated in few residential pockets and should be
divided into different areas so as to cover entire population. High density housing
cluster should have larger proportion of open spaces, whereas larger sized plots,
having low density, should have lesser proportion of such spaces, due to large
availability of open spces within the individual house. Basis of distribution of green
spaces should be the density, number of households and population housed in
the area and not the area occupied by the number of houses. Local level
authorities must ensure that quality parks and green spaces are located in close
proximity to people, regardless of where they live.
• Usability; Detailed studies made has revealed that green spaces are not being
used by same category of people during the day. The age group of users has been
found to be at variance during different hours of the day. Variations of age groups
using green spaces have also been observed during different seasons of the year.
During morning and evening, most of the users belong to the age group which are
employed during the day or running their own business. These users include both
men and women and members of such families. Few of them also use these
spaces in the evening. Housewives are seen to be major users in the late hour

15.
of the morning and the evening. Children preferably use these spaces in the
morning and evening ,where facilities for playing games are available. Providing
swings, rides and other children-focused games, have been found to increase the
usability of green spaces by attracting more children in the parks. Further, creating
open gyms, have found favour with large number of users , which value the role
and importance of exercises to remain healthy. Provision of these infrastructures
have increased the intensity and duration of utilization of the green spaces. Senior
citizens/retirees favour morning and afternoon times for relaxing or socializing.
Mornings are preferred times for activities like running, walking, doing yoga and
physical exercises whereas evenings are generally dedicated to passive activities
of relaxing, sitting and socializing. During winter, most preferred time remains
during the availability of sun in the day and during summers, morning and
evenings are the preferred time for using green spaces. Providing options for the
shaded spaces also help promote the use of green spaces during the summers
and rainy times. Accordingly, keeping in view the user’s fabric, choices,
preferences and age groups, green spaces need to be, rationally and innovatively,
planned ,designed and developed, for ensuring their optimum utilization.
• Land; Non-availability of adequate land, at appropriate places in appropriate
quantity and at appropriate price, remains the biggest roadblock in creating
qualitative and making available appropriate level of open spaces in the urban
areas. Green spaces in urban areas, remain under threat in an environment ,where
such spaces are limited and there exists relative shortage of housing and land for
development. Cost of land and lack of understanding on the part of the users and
city authorities, remains the major roadblock in providing such spaces in urban
areas. In order to define and identify areas for creating green spaces, land
suitability analysis of the area to be planned, must be carried out in detail.
Identifying the area which needs to be conserved/preserved; areas unfit for human
habitation; areas subjected to legal infirmities for urban development and areas
fit/ripe for urban development ,will remain valuable for optimizing the available land
and for evolving rational plans. Areas identified as unsuitable and subjected to
legal infirmities for urban development including areas available along the major
highways and around water bodies should be earmarked and used for planning
and development of green spaces. Earmarking, sourcing, planning and developing
all existing and available low-lying areas/areas should be effectively developed
and used as open spaces/parks/recreation. . Entire stretches of land, coming
under High-Tension Electrical lines and land earmarked as, ‘no-construction zone’,
due to statutory provisions, need to be used exclusively for developing green belts
in the city. Areas identified to be preserved and protected should also be
supplemented with creating green spaces.

16.
Preparing inventory of available open spaces for safeguarding such spaces
from being encroached, misused and abused would always remain important. All
water bodies should be supported with green spaces to make value addition and
protected from all possible human interventions and encroachments. Similar
options must be exercised in promoting and preserving areas around/within
heritage, existing in the city. Making optimum use of large areas available along
the transportation network for plantation, greening and creating network of green
spaces ,will help in creating large pool of such spaces in the city. Removing all
existing encroachments, on designated open/greenspaces and developing such
areas as green areas, and greening large vacant/unbuilt area available with the
existing local level institutions will help in making large additions to such spaces.
Promoting City forests (developing high intensity/density green cover in cities) on
large scale, will not only add green
spaces but will also bring back lost
flora, fauna and bio-diversity into the
city. Bringing all parking areas under
the aegis of tree plantation can go a
long way in creating large green cover
in the cities. Potential of green roofs
and green walls also needs to be
explored for making addition to
vocabulary of green spaces by
converting large unused and abused
spaces in the city.
Traffic island, traffic rotaries, underpasses, over-bridges and fly-overs, created in
the urban areas to rationalize and regulate flow of traffic, offer valuable space/
opportunities to make addition to green spaces in the cities. Chandigarh Municipal
Corporation, has exploited the potential of such spces to create large volume of
beautiful open spaces without incurring any cost. Looking objectively, cities
contain/offer lot of opportunities, which remain untapped, unexplored, for sourcing
land for making additions to green spaces.
• Financing; Urban green spaces remain resource and cost-intensive not only in
sourcing land but also planning, designing and developing them. Looking at the
lie-cycle cost of the green spaces, it has been concluded that green spaces involve
lot of resources for maintaining them, in terms of manpower, equipment, water
charges, cost of periodic additions and alterations etc., , which makes their
maintenance highly cost-intensive. Limited availability of financial resources with
urban local bodies coupled with low priority accorded to the green spaces, finding
adequate resources for greening cities always remain a distant dream. In the
Chandigarh Traffic Rotaries

17.
absence of a robust scientific basis of the health benefits, it becomes all the more
difficult to make a strong case for allocating scarce public resources for urban
green spaces.
Resource constraints and reductions in public spending invariably
disproportionately impact the urban green space, since they have to compete with
other public services that have higher priority. Due to limited availability of funds,
most of the urban areas remain deficient in the availability of green spaces. It is
said , as against the prescribed norms of 9 sqm, Indian cities have availability of
only 2.7sqm of green space ,on per capita basis. In order to bridge this gap, large
allocation of resources will be essential. However, there exists numerous options
for raising resources for providing and maintaining urban green spaces. Best
option to maintain and develop the green spaces will be to make local residents’
active partner by involving them in the planning, developing and maintaining green
spaces falling within their complexes. Resident Welfare Association and Co-
operative societies need to be roped in for this purpose. Many urban local bodies,
plan and develop the green spaces and then hand over to the Resident Welfare
Associations for maintenance and upkeep by paying them charges based on the
pre-defined area based norms. This helps in reducing the maintenance cost of
green spaces. Involving corporate sectors in planning , developing and
maintenance of green spaces, can help local authorities in meeting the entire cost
of such spaces by merely giving them the advertisement rights to showcase and
display their industries in the green spaces. In addition, levying Internal
Development Charges(IDC) and External Development Charges( EDC), which
include charges for landscaping of the licensed area, provide adequate resources
for not only developing green areas within the sanctioned township, but also
making available resources for city level landscaping and developing green
spaces/belts/playgrounds, on the proportionate basis. It has been observed that
planned development remains the best option for sourcing land and making
available adequate financial resources for the development of green spaces in the
cities. Accordingly, for developing appropriate level of green spaces, cities must
opt for and promote planned development. In addition, to using land as the
resource for developing green spaces, Government of India has also launched a
scheme for greening and making value addition to the cities and towns. Atal
Mission of Rejuvenation of Urban Transformation (AMRUT), includes green
spaces as a major and important component of cities. Sources made available
under the Mission can be made use of for planning and development of green
spaces in the city. In addition, all the urban local bodies, development authorities,
Housing Boards, Improvement Trusts, Industrial Development Authorities etc.,
engaged in real estate development should be asked to earmark dedicated funds

18.
for the development of green spaces
and landscaping the city, where they
are operating.
Singapore Experiment with Green Spaces
-Vertical Gardens
For overcoming the limitations of availability
of adequate land, imposed by being an
island country, Singapore is experimenting
with number of options to increase the green
footprints in the city. One of the innovative
options used, is to create vertical gardens in
area reclaimed from the sea, known as,
‘Garden By the Bay’. Spread over an area of
250 acres, the Garden is ,a nature
park located in the Central
Region of Singapore, adjacent to the Marina Reservoir. Garden has been developed as
the part of the nation's plans to transform Singapore from a "Garden City" to a "City in a
Garden", with the sole aim of raising the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora in
the city. Gardens is intended to be Singapore's premier urban outdoor recreation space
and a national icon, containing number of green options including conservatories; flower
dome; cloud forest; children garden; horticulture themed gardens; bayfront plaza and
floral fantasy. In addition to creating green spaces at the ground level and various other
elements; garden includes number of Super Trees created in the garden. Super trees,
are high-tech tree like structures, ranging in height from 80-160 feet, with trunks acting
as vertical gardens laced with more than 1,50,000 living plants and having provision of
sourcing solar energy, for a night show organized in the garden besides shading and
working as environmental engines for the gardens.Super trees are home to number of
exotic ferns, vines, orchids, having vast collection of other plants. Trees are fitted with
environmental technologies that mimic the ecological function of trees: photovoltaic
cells that harness solar energy, used for lighting, similar to how trees photosynthesize
the solar energy, and collection of rainwater for use in irrigation and fountain displays,
similar to how trees absorb rainwater for growth. The Super trees also showcase air
intake and exhaust functions as part of the conservatories' cooling systems. Garden serve
dual purpose for the city, involving leisure, entertainment and de-stressing residents,
visitors, tourists besides providing the benefit of large number of trees/green spaces for
decarbonizing and promoting green spaces in the city. In addition, Singapore has also
modified its building regulations, providing for compensating the entire quantum of green
space, occupied by the built environment within the building designed, in the shape of
terrace gardens/ roof gardens. This provision has helped the city in minimizing the impact
Singapore-- Super trees in 250 -acre Gardens by Bay.
-- High-tech structures range from 80 to 160 feet
-- collect solar energy to power a night light show.
-- trunks are vertical gardens, laced with more than 150,000 living plants .

19.
of buildings on the reduction of green spaces. In addition, it has also made value addition
to the buildings in reducing their carbon footprints and providing all the benefits of green
roof besides creating captive open spaces for the residents of group housing which could
be used on 24x7 basis.
Green Roofs
Considering the role and importance,
green roofs and green walls are fast
emerging as an option to create large
volume of green spaces in an otherwise
dense and congested localities. Gardens
planted on rooftops ,maximise limited green spaces and curtail greenhouse gas
emissions. Green roofs are being known and valued, as alternate open spaces, created
within the individual residence for captive and community use, offering numerous
physical, social, economic and environmental benefits, not only to the built environment,
people and communities but also to the city, climate and human livability. These benefits
include; creating new frontier of humane and sustainable urban planning; decreasing
stormwater runoff ; reducing air pollution; Increasing oxygen production; improving air-
quality; purifying air; encouraging biodiversity, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions,
removing air particulates; reducing carbon-footprints ; improving property value and
marketability; promoting economy, generating employment; promoting community
gardening projects, adding up greenery, creating visually pleasing green elements;
improving aesthetics in building and neighborhood; impacting living, working and
promoting well-being of people through green environment; promoting relaxation and
reducing stress; making people happy, heathy and more productive; promoting
optimum utilization of unused space; making addition of a new amenity space within
building; reducing and slowing stormwater runoff and avoid flooding in the urban
environment. Green roofs in neighborhoods, not only increase city’s attractiveness but
also promote better quality of life and create healthier/ sustainable spaces. Green roofs
also act as CO2 sink with each 100 sqm of green roof; reducing greenhouse gases @
1.8 tons per year; producing oxygen needed by 100 people in a year; removing pollution
emitted by 15 cars in a year; reducing ambient temperature of cities by 1°C; minimising
urban heat island /harmful city smog; preventing evolution of harmful ozone
layer; retaining 40% of rainwater ;delaying water discharge by 18 minutes during intense
rain and preventing collapse of urban drainage systems.
Conclusion

20.
World is passing through an era of unsatiated consumerism, led by industrialization,
urbanization, liberalization and globalization, adversely impacting human health- both
physical and mental. Bringing out ground realities and status of prevailing poor human
health, WHO states that globally, large proportion of urban population is suffering from
variety of problems including mental ill-health, obesity, social isolation, health
inequalities, stresses and strains besides environmental degradation. Report calls upon
nations and communities to find appropriate and equitable solutions to address these
health and environment related problems on priority and urgent basis. Based on the
detailed and systematic review of the published evidence on green-space interventions;
ranging from smaller green spaces to larger interlinked spaces, WHO report has
concluded that, green spaces have been found to play critical, vital and key role in
addressing issues related to human health and environment. In addition, open spaces
help reduce illness, obesity and stress with positive outcomes, ensuring health, social
and environmental benefits on sustained basis, for entire range of urban population
including population comprising lowest rung of socio-economic pyramid. Report also
states that, providing adequate, quantitative and qualitative, open spaces within our urban
areas assumes importance. In addition, preserving, enhancing and promoting existing
green spaces will remain vital to augment and increase the availability of such spaces.
Looking at their genesis and operation, green-spaces have been found to yield maximum
dividends only when physical and social contexts are appropriately integrated and
dovetailed at the local level. This places priority on the need of involving communities and
users in the siting, planning and designing of green spaces. Sufficient time and resources
accordingly need to be devoted during planning and designing such spaces, by engaging
with both users and beneficiaries. Fostering multidisciplinary approach, based on
collaboration with all the stakeholders, would be critical for creating successful green
spaces. Adopting a bottom-up approach and emphasizing community engagement have
invariably led to positive outcomes. Having public engagement embedded from the start,
invariably ensures that local community’s needs were well understood and appreciated.
The design options evolved must respond to the identified needs of community and
stakeholders. Juxtaposing local understanding and good practices ,can help in evolving
evidence-based design that would cater to all local contexts. Such an approach of working
at local level has helped in creating local ownership of green spaces. While siting the
open spaces it must be ensured that parks and green spaces are located based on
equity and in close proximity to the community, with priority going to
neighborhoods/communities found deficient in green spaces. Planning for proper
maintenance and regular improvements of green spaces and parks should invariably form
integral part of planning and development process. It must be understood and
appreciated that urban green-space interventions always remain long-term investments
and accordingly, need to be integrated with long term development strategies and

21.
planning frameworks, including Master plans/ Development plans, transport policies,
sustainability and biodiversity strategies. For ensuring adequate provision of green
spaces on sustained basis and on prescribed norms and standards, prevailing
development control regulations building bye-laws, zoning regulations must be
appropriately, reviewed, revised and redefined to include appropriate provisions for green
spaces, green streets, sidewalk planters, or other greening strategies. For having
appropriate level of green spaces, these spaces should be included and made integral
part of the urban infrastructure and should be adequately reflected in the Infrastructure
plans evolved at the local level. Urban spaces should be made integral part of all policies
and plans evolved for creating healthy environment, including green spaces and public
spaces for promoting leisure and recreation.
Looking at the multiplicity of usages, multiplicity of purposes served and large number of
benefits accruing, it becomes critical that cities would need to be made more clean,
green and eco-friendly by providing quality green spaces. Providing quality green spaces
at prescribed norms, as an integral part of urban infrastructure and long term planning,
development , management process, can help and ensure making cities; more livable,
sustainable, safe, inclusive, resilient, happy and healthy places to live in and work with.
Bibliography;
• Lee ACK; Jordan HC Jordan, Horsley J ; Value of urban green spaces in
promoting healthy living and wellbeing: prospects for planning;
• Slater JS, Richard MS; Christiana; Jeanette G; US Public Health Response
to COVID-19 and Chronic Disease special supplement, and Mental Health - a
Global Public Health Issue
• Gupta JK; Building Carbon Neutral Cities Through Green Roofs; unpublished
paper; September 2021
• Wikipedia; Garden By the Bay;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_by_the_Bay
• McCarthy J, Sánchez E; 6WaysGreenRoofsProtectCitiesFromClimateChange--
From fighting heat waves to stopping floods
• Davis C; 4 Reasons Green Roofs Do A Building Good; July 13, 2015
• Rosenzweig, et.; Green Roofs in the New York Metropolitan Region,
Research Report,"
• Note; All images are sourced through Google, which are gratefully and
sincerely acknowledged and appreciated with gratitude. Images are not
being used for any commercial purpose but used for academic/research
purposes and for illustration to make the text clear.

22.
• Author;---
• Ar Jit Kumar Gupta
#344/40-a, Chandigarh-160036
Former, Director, College of Architecture IET Bhaddal (Pb)
mail-jit.kumar1944@gmail.com