WRI India conducted the first Safe Access workshop under the Station Access and Mobility Program (STAMP), with a focus on the Mantri Square Sampige Road metro station. Workshops are based on the principles of safe access from the Safe Access Manual, developed by WRI India.
Participants were divided into groups for the workshop, which uses a multi-stakeholder approach to generate discussions and co-create ideas. The first part of the workshop focused on developing an understanding of the five principles of safe access i.e. universal access to public space, pedestrian and cycling access, safety and security, feeder systems and parking management. In the second part of the workshop, participant groups applied these principles to select priorities and suggest ideas for last mile connectivity to the Mantri Square Sampige Road station area, within an influence zone of 5km.
Ideas included both infrastructural and technological components. For example, while Malleshwaram residents emphasized the need for a feeder bus service through inner roads, especially for the benefit of the sizeable senior citizen population, entrepreneurs proposed technology and business models to make feeder bus operations viable.
The workshop was conducted in partnership with Malleshwaram Swabhiman Initiative, Malleshwaram Resident Welfare Association, BPAC, CiFoS, and other local associations. Over 30 participants from various backgrounds took part in the workshop, including members of local resident welfare associations (RWAs), shop association representatives, bicycle enthusiasts, city bus agency representatives, students, and NGOs. The local government representative, Dr. Ashwath Narayan, also interacted with the participants through the workshop, and pledged his support to facilitating citizen-led solutions.
