The document discusses the need for improved street design in urban India, emphasizing the importance of creating universally accessible and pedestrian-friendly public spaces. It highlights various deficiencies in current street engineering practices and proposes a comprehensive approach that includes guidelines for road geometries and multi-functional zones. The initiative aims to enhance safety, accessibility, and environmental sustainability while ensuring compliance with relevant disability acts.

1. Street Design
Towards better designed streets

2. Background
• India still urbanizing
• Cities still being built
• Cost to ensure “barrier
free”/”universally accessible” low –
compared to retrofit
• Large segment of population will
benefit
• Co-benefits
– Walk/Public Transport
– Safety
• Economic returns on investment high

3. Background
• Lot of focus on accessible buildings
• Public spaces ignored
– Streets
– Public Transport systems

4. Situation
Today
• Only width of footpath and width of
carriageway is decided
• All other “engineering” details are
decided
• Storm water drains and other
utilities
• Materials (concrete/UTWT/paving
blocks/curbing etc)
• No attention to detailed design of
the entire road from edge-to-edge

5. Situation
Today
• Missing elements
– How to deal with trees/utilities on
footpaths
– Footpath continuity (curb cuts)
– Universal accessibility
– Location of street lights, signages, traffic
signals etc
– Location of street vendors
– Bus stops
– Crossings (locations, zebra, pedestrian
refuge etc)
– Auto-rikshaw stands
– Bus stop (design and location)
– Traffic calming designs

6. Comparison with “designed” Streets
• High quality bus stops –
Pedestrians have plenty of space
• Poor quality bus stops – block
pedestrian path

7. • Hoarding block pedestrians• Hoardings do not block
pedestrians

8. • Signages – out of pedestrian
pathway
• Signages – pedestrians forced
to duck

9. • Electric boxes – block entire
footpath
• Electric boxes (and other utilities)
in Multi-Utility Zone (MUZ)

10. • Garbage bins on the side • Dumper on the footpath

11. • Trees – providing shade • Trees – block footpath –
footpath too narrow!

12. • Greenery - trimmed • Greenery – out of control

13. • Pedestrian crossings – difficult, no
pedestrian signals, no refuge
• Pedestrian crossing – easy,
simple, no conflict with traffic

14. • Pedestrians have plenty of
space
• Pedestrian squeezed

15. • Pedestrians on the road –
accidents likely• No pedestrians on the motor
carriageway

16. • Pleasant walking environment
– patterned walkways • Footpaths in disrepair

17. Pedestrian
Subways
and FOBs
Not preferred by pedestrians
Expensive
Requires huge amount of space
Tendency to become dirty and
abandoned
Can be unsafe for women esp. at night
Legally must be diabled compliant –
ramp/lift
NOT A GOOD OPTION

18. Pedestrian Subways and FOBs

19. Pedestrian Subways and FOBs

20. Pedestrian Subways
and FOBs

21. Design Should Solve These Issues

22. National Urban Transport Policy
Equitable allocation
of road space -
focus on people
rather than vehicles
Non-Motorized
Transport is
environmentally
friendly and must
be given their due
share
Have to address
safety concerns of
pedestrians and
cyclists
Features such as
safe bicycle parking,
shade, landscaping,
drinking & resting
stations needed

23. Solution
Street Design
•By Empanelled Urban
Designers
•Using Street Design
Manual
•Specialized Audits
•Universal
Accessibility
•Safety
Tender
•Use bill of quantities
from Design
Execution
•Monitored by Urban
Designer

24. Designed
Street

25. Street Design Guidelines – Worldwide

26. Street Design Guidelines – India
UTTIPEC,
Delhi
Bangalore
City
Connect

27. Street Design Guidelines set broader policy and give clear instructions for how
to plan and implement various street elements in various situations.

29. Street Design Guidelines -
Overview
• Road Geometries
defined based on RoW
• Concept of MUZ
• Street elements
(mandatory +
recommended)
3 Major
Components

30. Road
Geometries

31. Multi-Functional Zone

32. Street Design Elements

33. Street Design Elements

34. Foothpaths
• Essential Elements
• Have to be wide
• Remove “conflicts” not “encroachments”
• Hawkers --> Hawker zones
• Trees/Greenery
• Public spaces to sit, water fountains
• Utilities
• Garbage
• Toilets
• Surface quality, cleanliness, lighting,
continuity

35. Expected
Outcomes
• Simple to use guide for engineers,
consultants and contractors
• Fully utilizable RoW / Increased
“people” throughput
• Safety
• Fully handicapped accessibility –
compliance with PwD* Act and
UNCRPD*
• Consistency across whole city
• In line with CMP’s stated goals
* Persons with Disabilities Act & United
Nationals Convention on the Rights of
People with Disabilities

36. Street Design Guidelines for Pune
• V.K Arch developed draft Urban Street Design Guidelines
• Revised by in-house panel
• Approved by Commissioner and instructed Dept. to use
Urban Designers have been empanelled
• 8 in-house Urban Designers
• 4 National Urban Design Companies – 100 km
package
Take up new/upgrade streets using new process
Road Dept./”Planning Cell”  Design Dept.
• Enforce Street Design Guidelines for future road
works – need “approval” process
• Continue capacity building

37. Thank You
Ranjit Gadgil – Program
Director, Parisar
ranjit@parisar.org
www.parisar.org
88050 27186