Design Approach Design

Proposed plan :

Current traffic through Manek Chowk’s central space will be diverted via the junction between Pankornaka and Dalgarwad on the west and Chanlaol street on the east. The previously one-way traffic from SwamiVivekananda road to Relief road (6.0 m) has been transformed to a two-way single lane carriageway. Both Gandhi Street and the southern street leading to Sankhedi Seri are one-way double-lane carriageways (5.5 m). The right of way on Chanla Ol and the route going to Lokhand Bazar is extremely tiny. This would result in more pedestrian-friendly street layouts. This region would have cobblestone streets. Motorized vehicles’ speeds would be reduced, assuring pedestrian safety.

The speciality streets are usually open to the sky, but they also serve as public access routes through the built fabric in most cases. These streets are not frequented by the general public due to their semi-private nature. Despite the fact that the Manek Chowk idea focuses on the centre precinct, the impact is likely to spread to the surrounding areas after it is implemented.

The intervention explores the idea of streets as public space. By pedestrianising and amalgamation a nearly 12-meter wide plaza space outside many significant monuments is created. Pedestrian walkways, vending clusters, services (street lights, junction boxes, etc. ), street furniture, and trees are all included. In order to maintain the area’s vibrancy and dynamism, it also hosts a variety of activities that add to the livability quotient. During religious events, the spaces allow everyone to ‘loiter,’ shop, and assemble. It also suits Manek Chowk’s unique nature of changing uses throughout the day.

This idea intends to provide a secure and comfortable walking area for pedestrians while also allowing for simultaneous retail activity. The design will encourage more pedestrians to visit the neighbourhood, boosting the local economy. Within the precinct, on-street parking will be replaced by off-street parking lots. By freeing up on-street parking spaces, more space is available for walking, vending, and other pedestrianfriendly activities. Consolidated space for current street vendors is included in the concept. The leftover area has been decreased by putting in place a spatial organisational framework for vendors. The design becomes significantly more efficient and weather proof by designing efficient sanitation and infrastructural support.

Manek chowk is a great examle of how temporality changes the course and nature of spaces with different times during the day. Celebrating this charachter of manek chowk the intervention proposes to have a complete pedestrianised area with no vehicular entry atall times of the day. However, it remains accessiblle form both sides. Giving out spaces for vending, resting and creating a plaza that adapts to different activities. through the day it could be a plaza and resting point for people living or shopping there while at night these could be explored as seatings additional tot he other temporary seating. Along with spaces for food carts and trucks to park and set up thier social dining at night.