SPATIAL PLANNING INTERVENTIONS FOR ENHANCING SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY AMONG THE ELDERLY IN BHOPAL

Abstract

India is undergoing a profound demographic shift. The elderly population aged 60 years and above is projected to reach 230 million by 2036, representing nearly 13 per cent of th e national p opulation. Urban c entres Iike B hopal, Madhya Pradesh a rapidly growing mid-sized city with 1.79 million residents now face compounding pressures of an ageing demographic, widening spatial inequities, and a persistent gap betweennational policy intent and local spatial implementation. This thesis investigates how spatial planning interventions can enhance socialconnectivity among the elderly population in Bhopal. Social connectivity the ability Of Older adults to engage regularly and meaningfully Wi th their community is increasingly recognised as a critical determinant of health and well-being in later life.Yet this connectivity is not simply a matter Of personal circumstance; it is profoundly shaped by the physical environment: the walkability of streets, the proximity and quality Of parks and community spaces, the accessibility Of public infrastructure, and the safety and comfort Of outdoor environments. Bhopal's urban fabric illustrates this relationship sharply. While planned areas such as Arera Colony (Ward 48) Offer accessible green space and walkable amenity clusters, older high-density zones such as Aishbagh Colony (Ward 38) have as little as 0.171 of green space per capita and virtually no neighbourhood-level social infrastructure a 59-fold disparity that constitutes a condition Of acute spatial injustice and directly constrains elderly social life. The research adopts a Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Design structured across four objectives: (1) spatial diagnosis of existing conditions through GIS network analysis; (2) primary data collection on elderly spatial preferences and connectivity patterns through surveys, interviews, and behavioural observation; (3) policy evaluation ofthe Smart Cities Mission and national frameworks against elderly-specific needs; and (4) co-production of a contextually adapted spatial planning framework with elderly communities and planners. The thesis aims to produce a transferable, contextually grounded spatial planning framework that bridges international best practices including SKampung Admiralty vertical village model, Australia's third-place activation approach, and New iv Spatial Planning Interventions for Enhancing Social Connectivity Among the Elderly in Bhopal Zealand's culturally responsive street retrofitting experience with the realities of Indian urban governance, tropical climate, informal social life, and multigenerational living patterns. The research addresses a critical gap: the absence of any comprehensive, Bhopal-specific spatial planning study focused on elderly social connectivity.