Factors influencing the residential location choice of individuals working at an integrated township

Abstract

The ‘Integrated Township Project’ is an urban development policy scheme by the Government of India to promote mixed land-use and result in reduced trip lengths. This study examines the prevalence of short work trip length scenario and the factors influencing the residential location choice at the Megapolis Township (MGT), Pune, India. The mean work trip length worked out from the trip data collected from individuals working at some of the employment centres in the MGT does not certify the short work trip length scenario as expected. With the help of a Stated Preference (SP) survey data administered on these individuals and the land-use data of Pune, a binary logit model is developed. Mixed land-use, house rental value, household size, and car ownership are found to be the significant factors influencing the residential location choice. This study infers that the promotion of mixed land-use through Integrated Townships coupled with the regulation of house rental prices within the townships can help in reducing work trip lengths. As an alternative to the regulation of house rental prices, provision of incentives to attract the individuals (working at various employment centres in the township) to reside within the township may help in reducing the work trip lengths and thus aid the process of sustainable urban land-use and transport growth. Hence, this study calls for necessary attention regarding the regulation of house rental values or alternative strategies at Integrated Townships to promote short work trip length scenario from policy makers involved in urban infrastructure and transport planning.