CHENNAI: Pondy Bazaar generates around Rs 66.6 lakh annually through organised parking, and records a maintenance surplus of around Rs 51 lakh, according to a study that examined the impact of pedestrian-friendly street redesigns across Indian cities. The findings are part of The Healthy Street Dividend, a study prepared by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and commissioned by the German development agency GIZ.
The study compared streets designed with wider footpaths, shade, organised parking and traffic-calming measures with conventional roads across 10 cities, including Chennai.
Pondy Bazaar is among the projects highlighted in the report as an example of how redesigned streets can generate revenue while improving conditions for businesses and pedestrians. Similar outcomes were recorded elsewhere. In Bhubaneswar, Smart Janpath was found to earn Rs 1.75 crore annually from multiple revenue streams, which is around 60% more than its maintenance cost while Ahmedabad’s Science City Road generated property tax returns equivalent to 63.7% of its capital investment.
Across the cities studied, shopkeeper turnover on pedestrian-friendly streets was found to be 20% higher than on comparable conventional roads, translating to an average increase of Rs 4.37 lakh per business annually. Vendors, who relocated to such streets, reported a 50.6% increase in sales, while nearly three-fourths of shopkeepers who recorded higher footfall also reported higher turnover.
Researchers found that improved street conditions were also linked to higher commercial activity and investment. Property values along these streets commanded premiums ranging from 10-60%, while businesses reported new shop openings, facade improvements and better delivery access.
Pedestrian volumes were 36% higher on redesigned streets. Nearly 89% of women surveyed said they felt safer on such streets.
Researchers noted that footpaths, cleanliness and seating facilities were among the features most valued by users.
The study also pointed to environmental gains. Shaded footpaths were found to be around 12°C cooler than unshaded surfaces, while PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 levels were 22-23% lower on average. Traffic-calming measures reduced vehicle speeds by 5-7 kmph across the cities studied.
The study draws on surveys of more than 3,000 respondents, pedestrian and vehicle counts, business assessments and environmental measurements conducted across Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Gurugram, Kochi, Pimpri Chinchwad, Sikkim and Srinagar.