Access to funding services remains a critical enabler of financial growth and sustainability for women-owned enterprises (WOEs), particularly in urban economic hubs such as Nakuru Central Business District (CBD). This study examined the influence of funding services offered by microfinance institutions on the financial performance of WOEs operating within Nakuru CBD. Guided by the Microfinance Credit Theory, the study employed a descriptive research design and targeted a sample of 200 respondents drawn from registered WOEs, out of which 165 valid responses were received yielding a response rate of 82.5%. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis using SPSS. The descriptive findings indicated that most women entrepreneurs agreed or strongly agreed that microfinance institutions provided affordable interest rates, sufficient loan sizes, and funding that led to increased business revenue and expansion. The correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between funding services and financial performance (r = .258, p = .001). Further, regression results demonstrated that funding services had a significant predictive effect on financial performance, with a beta coefficient of β = 0.507, p < .05. ANOVA results confirmed the model's overall significance (F = 11.677, p < .05), and hypothesis testing led to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The study concluded that funding services offered by microfinance institutions significantly enhanced the financial performance of WOEs in Nakuru CBD. It recommended that microfinance institutions tailor their credit products to better meet the needs of women entrepreneurs, including lowering collateral requirements and increasing funding thresholds. Policy-makers were also urged to support frameworks that promote gender-inclusive financing mechanisms.

A framework for green space equity in central business districts: Exposure assessment and comparative analysis for office workers across global cities

Importance. The post-war industrial recovery in new regions of the USSR, such as the Kaliningrad region, is a complex and controversial process, where formal successes often masked deep systemic problems. The pulp and paper industry, identified as a key branch of the oblast's economy, faced a complex of interrelated crises between 1946 and 1953. The study of this period makes it possible to identify the fundamental contradictions of Soviet economic policy and to understand the long-term causes of the region's structural problems. The purpose of the study is to prove that the restoration of the Kaliningrad pulp and paper industry was of a crisis nature, rather than a successful reconstruction, and to identify the key factors of this systemic crisis. Materials and Methods. The methodology is based on a systematic approach, which made it possible to consider the restoration of the Central Bank as a multicomponent process in which production, personnel, managerial and social factors are closely interrelated. The historical and genetic method made it possible to trace the development of crisis phenomena in dynamics. The comparative historical method is used to correlate the specifics of the Kaliningrad case with general trends in the USSR. A comprehensive analysis of unpublished archival materials of the State Archive of Kaliningrad region, regional periodicals and oral histories ensured the reliability and representativeness of the conclusions. Results and Discussion. It has been established that the development of the Central Business District of the Kaliningrad region was hindered by the catastrophic devastation of the war, the acute shortage of qualified personnel, the most difficult social and living conditions, inefficient management and technological dependence on imports. It has been proven that, despite the partial restoration of capacity by 1951 (77 % for pulp, 69 % for paper), the industry faced insurmountable difficulties: high staff turnover, chronic failure to meet plans, frequent accidents and corruption. Conclusion. It is concluded about the crisis-like nature of the post-war recovery of the pulp and paper industry in the Kaliningrad region, in which formal successes masked deep structural problems. The experience of the Kaliningrad Central Bank is an indicative example of the contradictions of the Soviet post-war economic policy, the consequences of which affected the development of the region over the following decades.

The performance of sewer systems in developing urban areas faces significant challenges due to inadequate maintenance prioritisation frameworks. This study developed a comprehensive maintenance management prioritisation model to enhance the performance of sewer systems in Arusha Central Business District (CBD), Tanzania. Using a mixed-methods research design, the study assessed six sewer sections to identify critical factors affecting maintenance prioritisation through Relative Importance Index (RII) analysis. A multiple regression model was developed and validated to predict maintenance priority scores based on eight key factors: structural deterioration, traffic load impact, population served, pipe age, pipe depth, hydraulic capacity, pipe material, and pipe diameter. The regression model demonstrated strong predictive power with R² = 0.774, explaining 77.4% of the variance in maintenance priority scores (F = 23.480, p < 0.001). Among the factors, structural deterioration (β = 0.842), traffic load impact (β = 0.716), and population served (β = 0.499) emerged as the most significant predictors. Application of the model to six sewer sections in Arusha CBD ranked Soko-kuu as the highest priority (score = 6.028), followed by Kaloleni (4.964), Makao Mapya (4.464), Ngarenaro (3.531), Arusha Technical (2.182), and Bondeni (0.181). Validation testing showed excellent predictive accuracy with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.47 and a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 0.6 on a priority score scale ranging from 0.181 to 6.028, confirming the model's reliability for maintenance prioritisation decisions. The study concludes that systematic, evidence-based maintenance prioritisation significantly improves sewer system performance and resource allocation efficiency. The developed model provides stakeholders with practical tools for proactive maintenance planning, ultimately reducing system failure risks and enhancing service delivery. These findings contribute valuable insights for sewer maintenance management in similar developing contexts and establish a framework for sustainable urban infrastructure management.

Amid continuous urban population growth and urbanization’s environmental and social challenges, livable cities have become a key priority for governments. Among the various factors influencing urban livability, architectural design integrating natural elements plays a critical role. Melbourne consistently ranks as one of the world’s most livable cities, with its Central Business District (CBD) serving as its core. Since a previous study has highlighted a research gap concerning the role of architecture in livable cities and indicated that the characteristics of biophilic architecture remain unclear, this study addresses the following question: What are the attributes of biophilic architecture in the CBD of the livable city of Melbourne? Subsequently, buildings exhibiting characteristics of Biophilic architecture were surveyed, and photographs capturing the most representative aspects of each building were documented. These characteristics were then coded and analyzed using statistics. The study found that Biophilic architecture is extremely rare in Melbourne’s CBD, with only four of 6375 properties (0.06%) identified as such. The most prominent attributes include connection to nature, natural color tones, and light modulation shaped by the city’s grid layout and strong sunlight. However, the dominance of concrete structures and heritage regulations constrains formal diversity. While Melbourne may not provide abundant examples, its context offers valuable insight into how urban form and policy shape biophilic expression. Future studies should extend this comparative approach to other cities to better understand context-specific adaptations of biophilic design.

The World Bank report on emissions and pollution in the world reveals that particulate concentration in Accra, as at 2024 was 36.4µg/m³/year. Incidentally, the previous studies failed to give grasps to sustainable construction techniques, a gap that the study seeks to bridge to obtain sustainability balance. The objectives focused in the study are 1). To assess the pollution level resulted from construction activities in the Business District of Accra, 2). To evaluate the effectiveness of environmental management strategies and practices in the construction Industry in Accra to promote sustainability, 3). To identify and recommend strategies for promoting environmental awareness and sustainability practices among construction stakeholders (contractors, developers, and policymakers) in Accra. The use of qualitative approach to help the collection of data from secondary sourced. The study established that: Pollution level in Accra metropolis is high as a result of lack of environmental practices, strategic direction and policy guidelines to promote environmental quality in the construction industry, and integration of sustainable construction techniques during pre-design, design and construction stages promote environmental friendliness. Based on the lessons from the literature review and the findings of the study, policy makers are to formulate policies with enforcement mechanism to help addressed the environmental degradation problem in the CBD of Accra.

Globally, the rise in car ownership and usage has intensified parking challenges, particularly within central business districts (CBDs) of many developed cities. Scarce parking infrastructure and escalating land values have further exacerbated these issues, leading to heightened competition among business owners, residents, shoppers, and clients for the limited available paid and free on-street parking spaces. Against this backdrop, the present study sought to model the determinants of motorists’ parking challenges using a recursive structural equation model (RSEM), drawing on empirical evidence from Greater Kumasi, Ghana. Primary data were collected through a structured survey involving 1000 drivers within the designated catchment area, employing cluster and systematic sampling techniques to ensure representativeness. The findings reveal that four out of five structural paths of the constructs exerted significant influences on the structural model components. Both time-related indices and parking costs demonstrated direct and indirect effects on parking challenges, with vehicle type serving as a mediating variable. Furthermore, most of the measurement models significantly impacted the latent factors, either positively or negatively, highlighting the complex interrelationships between parking behavior and underlying determinants. Overall, this study makes several contributions: it provides localized empirical evidence from a developing-country context, offers theoretical refinements to existing models, demonstrates methodological rigor through the application of RSEM, and proposes practical policy insights to address urban parking challenges in rapidly growing African cities such as Kumasi.

Purpose This paper aims to apply gradient boosting (GB) to forecast apartment prices in Prishtina, evaluating its effectiveness through established evaluation metrics and identifying key price determinants via variable importance analysis. Design/methodology/approach The research method comprises analyzing a dataset of 1,468 property transactions from 2019 to 2023, attained from the Kosovo Department of Property Taxes. The data were split into training and testing subsets, with normalization applied to provide consistency, and the GB model's performance was evaluated using Mean Squared Error, Coefficient of Determination, Mean Absolute Error and Root Mean Squared Error. Findings Findings point out that the GB model shows noteworthy predictive accuracy, with the distance from the Central Business District identified as the primary influencer of apartment prices in Prishtina. These findings also point out the model's capability to effectively capture and reflect the nuances of the local real estate market. Practical implications Implications of this study advise the practical utility of machine learning, specifically GB, in enhancing real estate valuation and decision-making processes. By providing accurate and efficient market analyses, such models can enable more informed investment decisions, contribute to market transparency and help in stabilizing property prices. Originality/value Originality of this research lays in its focused application of Gradient Boosting within an emerging market context, enriching the empirical discourse on real estate valuation. By conducting a comprehensive variable importance analysis, the study offers fresh understanding into the dynamics influencing property prices, thereby advancing the field of real estate research.

This study explores the operational dynamics of public transit during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the Capital Metro Transit Authority in Austin, TX. The pandemic induced a dual challenge of declining ridership and the urgent need to serve transit-dependent populations, particularly essential workers who are predominantly from lower income and minority backgrounds. Using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), this research develops a method for transit authorities to balance demand, supply, and equity in real-time transit operations. Daily operational metrics and demographic data spanning from January 2019 to May 2022 within a 0.25-mi radius from transit stops were utilized in the analysis. The study revealed that traditional metrics often overlook the intricate needs of transit-dependent populations. Specifically, the AHP model indicated that certain routes, which had been canceled, should instead have continued at a reduced rate because of their high equitable need. Particularly affected by these operational changes were foreigners and individuals residing more than 5 mi from the central business district, who suffered disproportionately from the lack of adequate transit services. By pinpointing these routes, the model can ensure that critical transit services align with the needs of the most dependent community members. This strategic approach supports essential mobility and access to resources, promoting urban transit equity.

This study explores low-carbon transition strategies for central business districts (CBDs) using Qingpu New Town in Shanghai, China, as a case study. Employing a dual-path approach - combining top-down scenario simulation with bottom-up technological decarbonization potential accounting - we model carbon emissions from 2022 to 2040 under four scenarios: Business-As-Usual, General Development, Balanced Development, and High-Quality Development. Under the High-Quality Development scenario, carbon emissions peak in 2028 and decline by 47.3% compared with the Business-As-Usual scenario by 2040. Building on these results, six sectoral source-sink integration technological pathways - covering buildings, energy, transportation, solid waste, water resources, and carbon sinks - are evaluated. Results show that energy-efficient building design plays a leading role in emission reduction, while energy storage and optimization of green travel structures become increasingly important. All scenario-specific technology packages meet their projected reduction targets. The study recommends integrating scenario planning into CBD development processes, incentivizing multi-sectoral technological synergies, and fostering collaborative governance. These insights provide a practical roadmap for the low-carbon transformation of CBDs, aligning with China’s carbon neutrality goals.

Booksellers in Kenya have traditionally sold printed books through physical stores. However, this is changing as e-commerce technology disrupts the industry. Booksellers need to adopt e-commerce and eBook selling to remain competitive and profitable. This paper investigates the barriers and benefits of publishers adopting e-commerce and eBook selling and the level of readiness for the same. The study adopted the Technology, Organization, and Environment [TOE] framework for technology adoption. The study targeted booksellers in Nairobi, Kenya; it was a survey of bookshops within the central business district of Nairobi and targeted 38 bookshops. Quantitative data collected using questionnaires was analyzed quantitatively using SPSS Version 29 software to provide both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings of the study showed that the barriers to the adoption of e-commerce were inadequate funding, which correlated to poor online marketing systems (P value 0.017); high delivery costs, which correlated with lack of data protections (P value <0.001); and lack of awareness among booksellers about eBooks. Benefits were higher customer loyalty (P value 0.015), which correlated with new revenue streams (P value 0.015), and higher visibility of the stores. Only 3.7% of booksellers sold eBooks, and only 48.1% of the booksellers indicated readiness for adoption of e-commerce. There was a significant correlation between gender and the likelihood of adoption of eBook selling (P value 0.034). The study recommends that booksellers take advantage of funding initiatives by the government for SMEs to enable them to fund the expansion of their business into eBook selling and e-commerce. It also advocates for a campaign by the Kenya Publishers Association to increase awareness of eBooks and e-commerce among booksellers. The study provides empirical data on the adoption of e-commerce and eBook selling among booksellers in Kenya. It provides insights into the challenges they face as well as the benefits open to them through eBook selling. These findings contribute to the scarce body of data about the publishing industry in Kenya in particular and Africa in general.

The paper assesses the capitalization of residential unit values along Melbourne's Cranbourne Line route. Beyond station proximity, this paper jointly assesses transportation accessibility, everyday service availability, dwelling attributes, and neighborhood socio-demographics as determinants of price. To enhance cross-sectional comparability in a market characterized by varied lot sizes and layouts, outcomes are assessed based on per-square-meter prices instead of total selling valuesan approach that remains underutilized in Australian studies but is immediately beneficial for planners and investors. Utilizing a hedonic pricing framework, this paper estimates a global ordinary least squares (OLS) model and a geographically weighted regression (GWR) to differentiate corridor-wide connections from regionally variable effects. Findings demonstrate that an increase in the number of bedrooms and the availability of on-site parking correlates with elevated unit costs, whereas increased distance from both the nearest rail station and the central business district relates to diminished unit prices. The GWR exhibits significant geographic variation, with the distance-to-station gradient differing markedly among station catchments. The evidence emphasizes the necessity for households to balance housing costs with effective access to the rail network; for policymakers, it illustrates that public transport initiatives influence property values and the distribution of urban opportunities, thereby informing station-area design, last-mile services, and transit-oriented development up-zoning. This method provides a replicable framework for corridor analysis and establishes a foundation for subsequent causal evaluations of specific investment occurrences.

This study explored the challenges faced in the successful implementation of strategic plans and their impact on the sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Lusaka's Central Business District (CBD). A total of 150 respondents were selected using a mixed-methods approach that combined stratified sampling to capture diverse SME subgroups and snowball sampling to reach hard-to-access participants. The research examined the difficulties SMEs encountered in executing their strategic plans, reasons for failure to achieve strategic goals, and the relationship between non-implementation and business performance. Key barriers identified included financial constraints, employee resistance to change, technological limitations, and organizational culture, particularly hierarchical structures that hinder creativity and adaptability. The findings highlighted that many SMEs struggled with misalignment between planning and daily operations, often exacerbated by financial constraints, poor leadership engagement, and inconsistent review processes. The study found that businesses with formalized strategic plans experienced fewer financial losses and better sustainability, while those without plans suffered from operational inefficiencies, stagnation, and missed growth opportunities. Furthermore, the research highlighted the importance of leadership commitment and employee engagement in overcoming implementation barriers. Empirical evidence from the study was consistent with global literature, validating the key challenges SMEs faced in strategic planning and providing practical recommendations for overcoming these barriers. These recommendations included enhancing access to financial resources, fostering participatory leadership, investing in employee training, and leveraging technology for operational efficiency.

Parking shortages and high costs in Chinese central business districts (CBDs) remain major urban challenges. Emerging automated vehicles (AVs) are expected to diversify parking options and mitigate these problems. However, AV users’ parking preferences and their influencing factors within existing urban zoning frameworks remain unclear. This study examines Nanjing as a representative case, proposing six distinct AV parking modes. Using survey data from 4644 responses collected from 1634 potential users, we employed nested logit models and random forest algorithms to analyze parking choice behavior. Results indicate that diversified AV parking modes would significantly reduce CBD parking demand. Users with medium- to long-term needs prefer home-parking, while short-term users favor CBD proximity. Key influencing factors include parking service satisfaction, duration, congestion time, AV punctuality, and individual characteristics, with satisfaction attributes showing the greatest impact across all modes. Comparative analysis reveals that random forest algorithms provide superior predictive accuracy for parking mode importance, while nested logit models better explain causal relationships between choices and influencing factors. This study establishes a dual analytical framework combining interpretability and predictive accuracy for urban AV parking research, providing valuable insights for transportation management and future metropolitan studies.

In this study, the impact of the electric motor size and the hybridization ratio of a Fuel Cell Electric Bus on its vehicle performance (i.e., gradeability and acceleration) and fuel consumption was investigated using the ADVISOR software. The investigation first involved a parametric analysis with different electric motor and fuel cell sizes for the dynamic performance metrics, specifically the 0–60 km/h vehicle acceleration and the maximum gradeability (%) at a constant speed of 20 km/h. The results revealed that the acceleration is most sensitive to fuel cell power. Regarding gradeability, a more complex relationship was observed: when the electric motor power was below 215 kW, gradeability remained consistently low regardless of the fuel cell size. However, for motors exceeding 215 kW, fuel cell power then became a significant influencing factor on the vehicle’s climbing capability. Subsequently, the analysis focused on the effect of the hybridization ratio, which represents the power balance between the fuel cell and the energy storage system, varied between 0 and 0.8. Results showed that increasing the hybridization ratio decreases gradeability and acceleration performance and increases total energy consumption. This trade-off is quantitatively illustrated by the results over the Central Business District (CBD) driving cycle. For instance, the pure battery-electric configuration (a hybridization ratio of 0), featuring a 296 kW battery system, recorded a gradeability of 12.4% and an acceleration time of 16.3 s, while consuming 28,916 kJ. At an intermediate hybridization ratio of 0.4 (composed of a 118.4 kW fuel cell and a 177.6 kW battery), performance remained high with a gradeability of 12.2% and an acceleration of 17.3 s, but the energy consumption increased to 43,128 kJ. Finally, in the fuel-cell-dominant configuration with a hybridization ratio of approximately 0.8 (a 236.8 kW fuel cell and a 59.2 kW battery), gradeability dropped to 8.4%, acceleration time deteriorated to 38.9 s, and total energy consumption increased further to 52,678 kJ over the CBD driving cycle.

Terrorism attacks of late not only target key installations such as government buildings, embassies, and other critical infrastructure, but targets public institutions and individual enterprises characterized by little or no security, such as hotels and business stalls. This study was motivated by the fact that stalls in Nairobi Central Business District were attacked by terrorists in 2011, and no study has ever been conducted to address this attack. The objectives of this study were to examine the factors that expose stalls to the crime of terrorism and counterterrorism measures associated with the prevention of terrorism crimes against stalls. This study used the routine activities theory. This study adopted the descriptive research design that entailed both qualitative and quantitative dimensions of data collection and analysis. Purposive sampling was employed by selecting 120 stall operators, composed of 60 male and 60 female operators from the Nairobi Central Business District. The study used an interview schedule, composed of open and closed questions to answer the research questions. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences and presented using bar charts, pie charts, and tables. Regarding the factors exposing stalls to terrorism, the study found that 37% of stall operators thought stalls were easy to attack, while 36% of stall operators thought that the lack of CCTV’s exposed stalls in Nairobi Central. On the preparation measures, the study found out that 47% of stall operators considered criminalization of terrorism as an appropriate measure, while 36% of stall operators noted that private security guards have played a significant role by including stalls in developing response plans to the crime of terrorism. Regarding the preparation measures taken by stalls, 77% of the stall operators carried out testing and improvements in physical security in place. The study concluded that stalls in the Nairobi Central Business District are easy targets for the crime of terrorism, and more research is required to explain the reasons underlying the factors exposing stalls and soft targets to the crime of terrorism and the preparation measures taken by stalls and other soft targets.

ABSTRACT Drawing from focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, this paper examines how street traders in Harare (Zimbabwe) negotiate and regulate access to trading spaces among themselves. While most studies on street trading focus on state – trader conflicts and traders’ resistance to exclusionary practices, this study shifts attention to the often-overlooked role of informal governance mechanisms that traders employ to regulate access to space. The findings reveal that access to vending space by street traders is negotiated through a range of informal mechanisms, including social control practices, personal networks, and, in some cases, heritability. The ability to negotiate and secure space is highly differentiated, often shaped by gender, experience, traders’ status and social influence within the vending community. The study therefore calls for a more nuanced understanding of intra-informal dynamics and everyday forms of governance that structure life in informal urban economies.

BackgroundThis qualitative study was prompted by limited literature and knowledge around the psychosocial barriers associated with father absence among young women in South Africa and the enablers for overcoming these barriers.AimThe aim was to explore the psychosocial barriers and enablers faced by young women because of father absence in South Africa.SettingThe setting of this study was the Central Business District of Pretoria in the city of Tshwane, South Africa.MethodsFollowing exploratory and descriptive qualitative research and Norman Garmezy’s resilient theory, six young women who met the predetermined inclusion criteria were recruited through purposive sampling to participate in this study. Thematic analysis strategy proposed by Braun and Clarke was used to analyse the data that were collected through semi-structured interviews. The study followed relevant ethical principles and ensured trustworthiness through the principles of credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability.ResultsThe findings demonstrated that these women encounter several barriers, including emotional, financial and relationship issues, attributable to father absence from their early lives.ConclusionDespite the various barriers encountered by these women, they demonstrated the ability to overcome them, with their resilience found to be anchored in both individual and environmental factors such as family support, a strong belief in education and self-awareness.ContributionThis study contributes to a pool of literature by adding the barriers and enablers for managing the challenges of growing up with an absent father and amplifying a call to provide psychosocial support to them and their families.

With the increasingly serious problem of microplastic pollution, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have attracted much attention as a key node for intercepting microplastics into the natural environment. In this study, the distribution characteristics of microplastics and their removal efficacy in wastewater treatment processes were systematically investigated in four typical wastewater treatment plants in Chengdu. The abundance, particle size, morphology and composition of microplastics in the influent and sludge were quantitatively analyzed by improving the sampling device and combining body-view microscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results showed that the microplastic concentration in the influent water showed significant spatial heterogeneity, with microplastic concentrations ranging from 177 to 517 particles/L. The Chengdu Cooperative Plant, which is located in the central business district, had the highest percentage of fibers at 38.5%, while the PET fibers of the Hedong Plant, which is located in the textile industrial area of Jianyang City, had a percentage of 15%. In this study, the removal rate is defined as the difference in microplastic concentrations between influent and effluent divided by the influent concentration.The removal rate of > 1 mm microplastics in the primary treatment reached 85%~92%, but the removal rate of < 0.2 mm ultrafine particles was only 37%~45%, and the percentage of < 0.1 mm particles in the secondary treatment increased inversely, revealing the fragmentation effect caused by hydraulic shear. Microplastics in sludge were dominated by PP and PE, accounting for 76%, and the percentage of small particles (< 0.2 mm) in secondary sludge was significantly higher, with a maximum of 58%. The study showed that the overall removal rate of Chengdu wastewater treatment plant reached 89.3%~94.6%, but the residual small particle size and high density microplastics (e.g., PET fibers) in the effluent still constituted a potential ecological risk. It is recommended to optimize the process for industrial source characteristics and to strengthen the control of sludge microplastics. This study provides a scientific basis for microplastics control and process upgrading in mega-city wastewater treatment plants.

ABSTRACT Water scarcity is a complex and multifaceted challenge that demands immediate attention and coordinated efforts at different locations based on several factors. Darjeeling city, globally renowned as “the Queen of Hills,” has been facing the problem of water crisis since 1980. During this period of rapid growth, improving urban water management and strengthening water resource protection are very crucial. The primary objective of this research paper is to spatially evaluate water scarcity in Darjeeling Municipality using the Water Poverty Index and to fulfill the research gap in understanding the elements that lead to water scarcity. A significant variation between the wards (WPI value, 41.27–55.56) has been observed. Wards 8 and 12 that are adjacent to the Central Business District have the most severe levels of water challenges because of a lack of natural springs and dependence on municipality connection. The convenient access to all the sites of Wards 6, 11, 13, 14, 21, and 23 receives the highest tourist footfalls. Wards 16, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27 denote the CBD area, comprising Chowk Bazar, Chowrasta, Mall Road, HD Lama Road, Loreto Convent, and administrative buildings. As a result of extremely high water demand, the municipality fails to supply sufficient water. With increasing distance to the outskirts, the water situation improves. As backup supplies, the residents in Wards 2, 5, 28, 31, and 32 collect water from natural springs. Ward nos. 1 and 2 enjoy access to the water supply from Jalapahar Cantonment. Therefore, this research work will help in the adoption of a comprehensive sustainable water management strategy by improving the infrastructure, decentralizing management, and so forth to cope with the stress conditions prevailing in the area. Thus, the findings can help to develop grassroots‐level water security plans and alleviate the acute water scarcity problem faced by the residents.