International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 03 | Mar 2025
p-ISSN: 2395-0072
www.irjet.net
Effectiveness of superblock in elevating urban livability and their practicality in Indian cities Bini Geevarghese1, Swathy C L2 1PG Student, School of Architecture and Planning, Government Engineering College, Thrissur
2Assistant Professor (Adhoc), School of Architecture and Planning, Government Engineering College, Thrissur
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Abstract - Urban centers worldwide face recurring issues
million fatalities throughout India (The Lancet Planetary Health, 2018). The infrastructure supporting roads and parking infrastructure in Indian cities dominates more than 60% of public spaces thereby decreasing available safe walking and cycling areas (Urban Mobility India, 2020). Successful implementations of the urban planning concept Superblocks have occurred in Barcelona and other cities. Superblocks function to prioritize walking and biking over driving which in turn develops more social places and constructs safer transportation links and adds ecological space. The city of Ahmedabad together with Pune conducted experimental superblock demonstrations which showcased these urban design elements as effective in lowering temperatures by up to 2°C and producing 30% less noise pollution (Centre for Science and Environment, 2019). The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (2021) has set sustainability goals for India to achieve 20-30% emission reductions while strengthening climate resilience. As a result India can implement superblocks to support active transport systems and enhance community welfare that will create sustainable urban living environments.
like unbearable traffic congestion, environmental pollution, shrinking public spaces, and pedestrian safety risks, all of which undermine livability. The superblock concept developed in Barcelona, which reshapes urban designs by giving the priority to pedestrians, public spaces, and zero-emission and low-carbon transportation, and thus offering a viable solution. This research focuses on the careful examination of efficacy in enhancing urban livability, focusing on its adaptability to Indian Tier I cities. The study utilizes a systematic methodology and a compilation of global case study (e.g. Barcelona) to draw on the Global Livability Index for assessing key indicators - environmental quality, mobility, safety inclusivity etc. It also probes into the urban issues and planning policies of India by discerning the influence of those principles on the superblock. The data show that superblocks are a feasible solution to livability improvement because they not only bring down environmental stress factors but also encourage green practices, yet at the same time the mentioned obstacles such as governance fragmentation, vehicle choice, and socio-economic disparities prevent them. On the one hand, the study recommends pilot projects, community involvement, and policy integration to tailor the model for India, providing strategic recommendations for adopting superblock concept for addressing rapid urbanization.
Research investigates superblock effectiveness for urban livability improvement and examines frameworks suitable for Indian urban settings. This analysis conducts a review of superblock concepts through international case studies while reviewing GLI changes and discusses both obstacles and possibilities for their Indian implementation. The study delivers recommendations suitable for Indian urban conditions which support sustainable and inclusive urban development.
Key Words: Urban Challenges, Traffic Congestion, Superblock concept, Urban transformative model, liveability, GLI, Indian Tier I cities, environmental pollution.
1. INTRODUCTION
The study provides useful knowledge but faces restrictions from its focus on European research while lacking comprehensive information on urban measure data and its inability to apply results broadly because of varied urban context. The analysis stops short of examining actual implementation practices because each site requires individual evaluations.
The urban population of India during 2024 reached 530 million which resulted in 36.6% of total population statistics. Rapid urbanization patterns between 1981 to 2022 resulted in the urban population rising from 34% to 43.2% (World Bank, 2022). The primary commitment of car-oriented urban development in Indian cities has resulted in worsening levels of pollution and urban heating effects while reducing urban green areas. Physical activity along with social interaction and general health status are limited because of these environmental elements. The World Health Organization safe limit exceeds the air quality experienced by 70% of residents in Delhi and Mumbai according to WHO (2021) estimates. In 2017 poor air quality led to more than 1.2
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2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Superblock Salvador Rueda created the superblock concept to develop pedestrian-oriented urban solutions for Spanish cities through a new urban design model. Superblocks originated
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