Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Report Paper
nexus
Institute for Cooperation Management and Interdisciplinary Research
Otto-Suhr-Allee 59
10585 Berlin
Germany
Registration Court: Berlin-Charlottenburg HRB 96110
Managing Director: Dr. Hans-Liudger Dienel
Contact: Dr. Angela Jain
Tel. +49 30 318054-66
Fax +49 30 318054-60
jain@nexusinstitut.de
www.nexusinstitut.de
Content
Summary..................................................................................................................................... 3
1.
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Summary
This Status Report on the project Walkable City Hyderabad summarizes the
participatory activities conducted from 2010 to 2013: Realization of students projects within
an Indo-German student exchange program in September 2010; Expert Workshop Walkable
City Hyderabad including a field trip in September 2010; various activities towards the
implementation of a pedestrian policy in Hyderabad; Citizens Exhibition Right of Way
Right to Stay in January 2013; Inauguration of the Centre for Pedestrian Infrastructure and
Planning in February 2013; initiation of the students design competition Talk the Walk
Walkable Hyderabad in February 2013. It also gives an overview of the still ongoing
processes and activities.
Previous participatory activities in the field of traffic and transport in Hyderabad have
identified the situation of pedestrians as one of the key issues. Walking is still a very
important mode of moving in the city, but interferes with other uses of space, such as
motorized traffic, parking, street vending and service provision in the streets. These multiple
claims to open space evolve in daily dynamic processes of negotiation that ultimately result
in a displacement of those who are in the weakest position. Although the modal share of
pedestrians is 40 to 50% they have no voice and no political backing. Moreover, a missing
pedestrian infrastructure reduces the safety of pedestrians and leads to a high number of
traffic accidents. As walking is yet the most eco-friendly form of mobility and a crucial factor
for an efficient public transportation system and a livable city, the Walkable City Hyderabad
project activities aimed to integrate the citizens perspectives on the traffic and transportation
system into the public discourse and to initiate a broad communication and collaboration
process among citizens, civil society organizations, local policy makers and authorities.
1. Introduction
Under the project Walkable City Hyderabad several stakeholders of civil society, cultural
institutions, universities and consultancies have gathered to promote a sustainable and
integrated traffic and transportation development in Hyderabad with a special focus on
pedestrians and walkability. The activities are part of the Sustainable Hyderabad Project and
have been initiated by nexus Institute (Berlin, Germany) and the PTV Group (Karlsruhe,
Germany). Previous activities in the field of traffic and transport in Hyderabad in 2009,
namely the Citizens` Exhibition Ready to move..?! in Tarnaka, a conference that formulated
a Citizens` Charter on Urban Transport and an accompanying Online-Discussion Forum
identified safe pedestrian mobility as one of the citys key issues.
In Hyderabad, with its already approximately seven million inhabitants, a high percentage of
travel is done by walking, mainly because a big proportion of the population is too poor to
afford motorized or even public transport. But walking has become increasingly difficult in
recent days. Pedestrian space has been converted into road space in order to accommodate
the constantly rising number of vehicles in Hyderabad: In 2008, there were a total of 2.4
Million vehicles and is projected to reach 7.4 Million by 2025. The sole prioritization of
motorized vehicular traffic has left the pedestrians with virtually no space along the busy
arterials of the city. Walking along and crossing of these arterials has become life
threatening, especially for the elderly, disabled, women and children. Several fatal accidents
with pedestrians happen every week. Consequently, those who can choose their mode of
transportation have been discouraged from walking. This trend is supported by the
decentralization and expansion of the city: Increased trip distances have made nonmotorized modes of transportation unfeasible. Still, public transportation has a significant
share of the total trips and walking is essential for the use of this mode of transportation. But
this fact has not been adequately recognized in the current layout of the transit system.
In this context, the project activities of Walkable City Hyderabad aimed to:
o analyze and present the perspectives of individuals that use the open space in
different ways (lorry and rickshaw drivers, street vendors, waste pickers, merchants,
retailers, residents, visitors, customers, traffic policemen, transportation agencies)
o map the relevant actors, especially of the civil society sector
o map the responsibilities in planning and infrastructure of pedestrian and related
facilities
o include the perspectives of civil society groups, practitioners and academia in the
planning and management of a traffic system
o investigate the solutions proposed by experts to make Hyderabad a walkable city
o raise awareness regarding the declining options for non-motorized transport,
especially walking and cycling.
2. Stakeholder Analysis
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HDMA), Greater Hyderabad Municipal
Corporation (GHMC), their common subcommittee Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority
(UMTA) and for the enforcement of regulation local traffic police have been identified by
nexus as particularly important stakeholders for footpaths on the local level of public
authorities. Above those local institutions there is Andhra Pradesh Roads and Building
Department, which is generally responsible for the building and maintenance of roads in the
state. In consequence, this situation is giving rise to overlapping of functions and spatial and
functional fragmentation1 especially when it comes to traffic issues in general. Within the
civil society sector there are also different organizations dealing with transport and traffic, but
as the most important stakeholder the Right to Walk Foundation (R2W) has to be named.
After its establishment in 2005 and under the leadership of its president and founder, Ms.
Kanthimathi Kannan, R2W started different activities to raise public awareness and pressure
on local authorities at the same time.
The conducted activities in the field of walkability comprise several student projects realized
within an Indo-German student exchange program, an expert workshop with a field trip, a
citizens exhibition at Begum Bazaar, the planning and inauguration of a Centre for
Pedestrian Infrastructure and Planning (CPIP), a students design competition and various
policy implementation efforts.
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JJNURM): Hyderabad City Development Plan,
p. 56
the Habitat Forum Berlin and 12 students from the Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine
Arts University (JNAFA) took part in a 7-days workshop to analyze and promote walkability in
Hyderabad.
The TU Berlin students participated in a preparation seminar during summer term 2010,
where they studied relevant urban issues in Hyderabad and worked out space strategies
fostering information around and participation in urban (planning) processes. These
preliminary studies helped to strengthen the understanding of the students that urban
processes are products of the interactions, at various levels, of different population groups,
and that the involvement of and communication among as many and varied stakeholders as
possible is essential in planning and/or management processes. The students chose three
local areas to focus on within their fieldwork: Abids' crossing and Siddam Bazaar Road, both
in Hyderabad's downtown, as well as the Musi River's portion comprised within Chadarghat
Old Bridge/Railway Bridge and Purana Pul Bridge.
During the 7-days workshop, the Indian and German students took part in a heritage walk, in
a city tour with focus on current development sites (hi-tec city, ring road) and in a bus tour to
the rural areas surrounding Hyderabad. Further, the students were shown different dams and
tanks and got to talk to Maheep Singh Thapar, the Managing Director & Principal Consultant
of a central urban and regional planning company in Hyderabad that works on the citys
master plans. Next to these activities the students conducted fieldwork within their chosen
area, studying the sites physical and social characteristics with special focus on traffic and
transportation needs and priorities as well as on the pedestrian situation. Research methods
included the mapping of existing built structures, circulations and activities, rhythm-analyses
of the passage/commuting of people and surveys to identify various social and professional
groups that use the spaces.
In order to present and discuss the workshop results with
experts in the respective field, the students guided and
moderated a field trip to two different sites as part of the
expert workshop Walkable Hyderabad organized by
nexus Institute and PTV. Moreover, the students
prepared and realized a performance in public space to
promote walkability and pedestrian rights and to raise the
citizens awareness of the issue. During the performance
the students wheeled two decorated push carts on the
streets of Hyderabad and on the campus of JNAFA with the aim to get people to reflect upon
the state of the street space in Hyderabad and the citizens ways of using public space.
To evaluate and discuss the gained experience and knowledge during the workshop, the TU
Berlin students participated in a follow-up seminar. The results of the workshop were
exhibited under coordination of Habitat Forum Berlin, on occasion of the Asia Pacific Weeks
2011 in Berlin.
an expert workshop for the discussion of immediate and sustainable solutions related to the
improvement of the situation for pedestrians in several places around Hyderabad. The
workshop took place on September 30th 2010 at a seminar hall of the School of Planning and
Architecture of JNAFAU in Hyderabad. The participating 14 experts were important actors or
stakeholders that are involved in organising and regulating the traffic and transport systems
in Hyderabad. Due to the different backgrounds of the experts, among them GHMC
commissioners as well as high representatives of private companies and public institutions,
various viewpoints on approaches concerning the improvement of walkability have fostered
the discussions and have spurred the finding of appropriate solutions. The proceedings
integrated a variety of links between walking and using other transport modes and purposes
such as heritage walks.
The aim of the expert workshop was to improve the situation for pedestrians at the policy
level and to discuss possible solutions model wise for selected places (pilot projects). It was
envisioned to agree upon the implementation of model-footpaths and/ or a pedestrian zone.
The workshop day started with a brief introduction and presentation of the program, followed
by a field trip to several locations where pedestrians face severe problems. At these sites
students from TU Berlin (under coordination of Prof. Dr. G. Nest, Urban Planning and
Architecture) and JNAFAU (under coordination of Prof. S. Kumar, Department of Planning
and Architecture) presented the respective situations and discussed them with the experts
and researchers. The places and themes which have been chosen for the expert workshop
included:
- Jawahrlal Nehru Road (Mosque area) / Begum Bazar: Pedestrian Crossing and
Pedestrian Zone;
- Abids Road / Sultan Bazar: Pedestrian Crossing and Pedestrian Zone;
- Lakdikapul Road / Public Garden Road: Heritage Walk and
- Tarnaka Ward: Way to school for students.
After a joint lunch, the workshop participants returned
to the seminar hall at JNAFAU were a panel
discussion took place. At this point, different actors
and agencies presented their perspectives and
opinions on the general state of the traffic and
transport system and discussed possible solutions
concerning the pedestrian situation in Hyderabad,
especially for the visited sites. The panel discussion
also focused on the historical grown traffic and
transportation network, its links to public infrastructure (e.g. bus stations, traffic lights etc.),
the responsibility of different actors (e.g. companies, government, citizens etc.), methods to
raise public awareness concerning pedestrian rights and possible ways to contribute for and
cooperate within the aim for a better walkability. A joint dinner followed the intense afternoon
session and offered the participants the possibility to further intensify the dialogue and
strengthen the cooperation.
The well-attended workshop with its lively discussions provided encouragement for taking the
next step. That is to approach the bodies responsible for planning, building and maintenance
of sidewalks and to identify potential stretches where model pedestrian infrastructures can be
built and evaluated.
http://hyderabad-india-online.com/2011/04/ghmc-new-cell-pedestrians/
http://www.slocat.net/news/560
4
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article2461716.ece
3
See also: Jain, A., Kuttler, T. (2013). Local action in Urban Open spaces of Hyderabad. In press.
ranged from ten minutes up to three hours. The interviews were mostly conducted in either
Telugu or Hindi, making the company of a reliable translator a perquisite for successful
communication. The interviews did not only aim for a better understanding of the local
problems and possible solutions, but for the creation of an atmosphere of mutual respect,
reliability and trust between the local actor and the interviewing project team. The interviews
covered topics such as a persons working history in relation to Begum Bazaar; his or her
immediate use of the space and its development due to changes in demographics, nature of
business, transportation, etc.; his/her requirements on the use of the space; his/her
perspectives on traffic and transportation; conflicts and problems as well as his/her ideas and
visions for the future. Eleven of the interviewed individuals decided to participate in the
citizens exhibition and to present excerpts of their interviews along with a photo of
themselves in their living and working environment. The selection of those contents and their
arrangement was closely coordinated with the interviewed individuals in several meetings.
The Citizens exhibition Right of Way
Right to Stay was than inaugurated
in a public event on January 24th 2013
together with GHMC cooperator of
Begum Bazaar Shanker Yadav, and
Ward Committee members. Tobias
Kuttler inaugurated the exhibition on
behalf of nexus institute and the
Sustainable Hyderabad project. The
group
of
visitors
was
very
heterogeneous and lively discussions
were initiated. In order to improve the
accessibility of the exhibition, especially
for illiterate and physically challenged
people, there was an audio guide
available for all visitors. After visiting
the exhibition each visitor was invited to
provide more suggestions for the
improvement of Begum Bazaar.
The overall feedback towards the exhibition and the whole participation process was positive.
The process and the public intervention have reactivated the existing debate on the traffic
and transport situation and embraced new actors and perspectives. Participants represented
in the exhibition received mementos by the cooperator and ward committee members. Their
reactions and feedback indicated that the collaboration with the project team was perceived
as a good experience and as a personal success.
The Citizens` exhibition Right of Way Right to Stay should be considered as a very first
step of civic involvement and community building in Begum Bazaar. The gathered
perspectives and perceptions by various actors on Begum Bazaar helped achieving a deep
understanding for the daily lives and social relations of actors in and the organization of
public space. Local actors have been put in a position where they could freely express their
thoughts and opinions on different matters of personal and public life and were encouraged
to think about prevailing difficulties and solution strategies. Further, the citizens exhibition
has been once again displayed at the occasion of the final conference of the Megacity
Project, February 16th 2013 at Zoroastrian Club, Secunderabad, where it caught the
attention of city government officials. One of them agreed to a site visit with the project team
and a local actor.
10
Architecture (SPA) at JNIAS in Secunderabad. The public event started with an opening
ceremony. Ms. Amita Desai, Executive Director of the Goethe Institute, presented the
Walkable Hyderabad Consortium followed by a screening of short films, documentaries and
case studies highlighting the need for pedestrian infrastructure and the plight of pedestrians
by the students of the University of Hyderabad and Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences.
Further, representatives of nexus Institute and PTV Group presented the technical
collaboration for CPIP. The formal inauguration of CPIP was announced by the lighting of the
lamp by Prof. D. Swaminadhan, President, JNIAS along with Chief Guest, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c.
Konrad Hagedorn, Head of Division of Resource Economics, Humboldt-Universitt zu Berlin
followed by Mrs. Ch. Sujatha Gangadhar, Registrar, JNIAS and other invited dignitaries. A
Statement of Intent was signed by the representatives of the participating partners followed
by different speeches on the purpose and goals of the CPIP. The first activity of the CPIP is
to carry out a students design competition titled Talk the Walk for architecture students.
Thus as final part of the inauguration event, the students competition was announced and
the posters released. The inaugural session concluded with a visit to the CPIP facility at
SPA, JNIAS by all the members of CPIP and other participants and followed by High tea.
The first meeting of the CPIP Coordination Committee was held on February 19th 2013 at
CPIP, SPA JNIAS, Secunderabad. Attendees included: Dr. Pramod S. Shinde (Director
JNIAS SPA, Chairman CC); Ms.Ch. Sujatha Gangadhar (CA, Registrar, JNIAS); Ms.
Kantimati Kanan (President, Right 2 Walk Foundation, Convenor); Mr. Tobias Kuttler (nexus,
Berlin); Ms. Tanja Schaefer (PTV Group); Ms. Amita Desai (Director, Gothe Zentrum,
Hyderabad); Ar. R. Nitin Sinha (Conservation Professional, HCIC); Er. Phani Gopal (Faculty
SPA JNIAS); Mr. Bhaskar Poldas (nexus, Berlin) and students from offices of Ar. Shankar
Narayanan & Ar. V. Narsimham. The committee deliberated on the further set up of the
centre (e.g. bank account, financial issues etc.), its dissemination (e.g. PhD research
program, integration of master theses etc.), its public relations (e.g. brochures, website,
posters, social media portal etc.) and specific activities (e.g. design competition, traveling
exhibition, scientific symposia). As a result of the meeting, an activity timeframe until
February 2014 was created.
11
The three best contributions will be awarded prize money: 1st Prize Rs.15000, 2nd Prize
Rs. 7000, 3rd & 4th Prizes Rs. 3000 each. In order to assure a high quality of the
contributions, a site visit with experts held on April 21st 2013 and an orientation seminar held
on April 24th 2013 have been organized. The deadline for submissions was June 17th 2013
which was later extended. On August 14th, the design proposal were presented at the School
of Planning and Architecture at JNIAS, in presence of Sri Krishna Babu, commissioner
GHMC and several other dignitaries.
12