Revitalization of Walled City, Case of Udaipur, India

Historical city of Udaipur in India is famed for its enthralling allure, welcoming environment, and the fascinating royal heritage. With its picturesque landscape, lakes, and historic significance, Udaipur has been a major tourism destination in the western state of Rajasthan. The city has two distinct areas, a Walled City dominated by the rich cultural, traditional markets, and architectural heritage and the area outside the walled city which is more planned and equipped with modern amenities and facilities. In the recent years, the city has experienced an unprecedented rise of tourism and its allied activities which have been found to be concentrated in the Walled City. There has been a direct impact of this on the increase in commercial activities furthering the increase in traffic and congestion in the not so wide streets and by lanes of the Walled City area. Issues caused due to traffic in tandem with poor and crumbling physical infrastructure is leading to deterioration of the overall environment of this famed city, including the outflow of the residents to the parts of the city with better physical infrastructure. It has been noted by the authors that the traffic congestion in the Walled City has progressively become the major deterrent and has led to influencing the travel and work experiences of not only the residents but also the tourists. With the purpose of devising a strategy for the revitalization of the Walled City, the authors have approached the issue being faced by the Walled City of Udaipur from the lens of transportation management. The study delves on the concept of activity rescheduling and analyses based on livability index within the Walled City area. Further, research identifies various determinants of tourism potential in the Walled City. The proposals made for reviving the Walled City are primarily for the residents as it is understood by the authors that the benefits of the economic activities should be accrued to the locals and as much as possible to those within the Walled City. The intent has been to maintain the unique physical and cultural character blending the traditional with the new age technological solutions. The recommendations made may be applied in similar environs in old city areas in any part of the world by appropriately modifying to suit the local conditions.