The Effect of Events on Pedestrian Behavior and its Comparison with Normal Walking Behavior in CBD Area in Indian Context

Abstract

Frequent occurrence of religious events generates highest event based pedestrian trips in CBD area, which has been accumulated by the sidewalk, provided at both side of carriageway. However, due to uncontrolled vehicular growth, planners force to expand the main carriageway compromising width of sidewalk that affect on overall efficiency of pedestrian facility and degrade walking ability. Moreover, due to encroachment by hawkers and shopkeepers on sidewalk offer less space than that required. Hence, pedestrian share the main carriageway and it is widespread scenario in India, which cause friction to moving vehicles and endanger their safety. To understand, how pedestrian deals with offer pedestrian facility on different event days and the results compared with normal walking behavior in normal working day, the study stretch selected in CBD area of Vadodara city. The religious event of Durgashtami and Dushera of Navratri festival and one normal working day were selected for the study. The pedestrian flow data were collected through video recording technique. Further, relationship between pedestrian flow, walking speed, density, and space were developed by data extracted from video on one-minute basis. The study observed bidirectional pedestrian flow and 20% reduction in walking speed on event days than the normal working day and it should be transformed in to congestion and uncomfortable movement; results in pedestrian overrun on main carriageway up to 40% on event day and 20% on normal day. The empirical relationship between all the parameters has been developed. Based on results, the present study concludes that Level of service is higher on normal working day than event day. To improve comfort, safe movement and to prevent sharing of main carriageway, an event based TSM action in the form of prohibition of on street parking may prove effective.