Urban waterfronts are a complex spatial arena of development which allows crucial insights on patterns of social entanglement and political-economic configuration in cities, thus highlightening the connection between people and the ‘commons’ in the city, as well as the alienation of marginalised people.
This project focuses on the transformation-led evolutionary changes on Kankaria Lakefront. It is a purposeful attempt on conceptualising the area's contemporary urban condition. Through the lens of classic example of ‘urban waterfronts’, the effort will be to understand the issues surrounding, often neglected but of significant importance, the ‘Urban Waterfront development’. This reseach emphasises the myriad influences of policy formation and implementation, planning decisions, infrastructure building, investment and ownership decision have on social and ecological process that occur around the urban waterfront.
Vidhy Shethna is pursuing post graduation in Urban policy and governance along so as to work on issues addressing the urban sector. Her research on Kankaria Lakefront, Ahmedabad is a purposeful attempt on conceptualising the contemporary urban condition. Through the lens of classic example of ‘urban waterfronts’, the effort will be to understand the issues surrounding, often neglected but of significant importance, ‘Urban Waterfront developments’. The paper will emphasise on myriad influences of policy formation and implementation, planning decisions, infrastructure building, investment and ownership decision trade-off, public engagement and other factors have on social and ecological process that occur around the urban waterfront. Vidhy has received her bachelors in Economics from St.Xavier’s College, Mumbai where she also got the opportunity to work with an NGO working for the homeless community of South Mumbai. Her past experience has helped her develop insights about the exclusions of the urban poor in Mumbai.