GIS-Based Sustainable Accessibility Mapping of Urban Parks: Evidence from the Second Largest Settlement of Sindh, Pakistan

Shabir Hussain Khahro (), Mir Aftab Hussain Talpur (), Musrat Gul Bhellar, Gopal Das, Haris Shaikh and Basel Sultan
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Shabir Hussain Khahro: Department of Engineering Management, College of Engineering, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia
Mir Aftab Hussain Talpur: Department of City and Regional Planning, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Pakistan
Musrat Gul Bhellar: Department of City and Regional Planning, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Pakistan
Gopal Das: Department of City and Regional Planning, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Pakistan
Haris Shaikh: Department of City and Regional Planning, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Pakistan
Basel Sultan: Department of Engineering Management, College of Engineering, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-27

Abstract: Hyderabad’s recreational amenities have made limited progress in comparison to the development of its industrial and commercial sectors. People require parks to unwind from their hectic lives. Parks can be a healthy location to host social events and can enhance community bonds. The evaluation of park accessibility has not been considered over the years in Hyderabad. Hyderabad is the eighth largest settlement in Pakistan and the second largest in the Sindh province. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the spatial accessibility of the urban parks situated in the city’s distinct locations. The spatial distribution of parks throughout the city was determined in this research. This study evaluated how accessible urban parks are to users by conducting a buffer analysis with ArcGIS-10.8. The questionnaire survey was conducted to record the participants’ opinions about the existing conditions of the parks with a sample size of 400. There was a total of 28 inaccessible urban parks found in Hyderabad. The total facility coverage was decided to be 0.80%. This value is extremely low as per local standards. Therefore, this study recommends the planned development of 40–45 parks to reach the standard level of 18% of the park coverage area. This study suggests that government officials should take pivotal measures to better maintain parks. This research is significant in the advanced modern world because natural areas, such as parks, can offer social and psychological benefits to society. The accessibility of parks is essential for the prosperity of citizens and the achievement of sustainable development goals. The findings of this research may contribute to SDGs 3 and 11, i.e., good health and well-being and sustainable cities and communities.

Keywords: urban parks; accessibility; spatial distribution; buffer analysis; ArcGIS-10.8; SDGs 3 and 11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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