Influence of walkability parameters on people’s mobility in a pilgrimage town: a case study of Nanjungud, India

Pilgrimage represents a sacred journey to religiously significant places. Recent studies highlight a 35 times increase in travel to pilgrimage sites from 1991 to 2019 in India. This surge in pilgrim numbers underscores the growing need for improved mobility infrastructure to ensure a comfortable environment. The study investigates the relationship between street-level walkability indicators on mobility within a pilgrimage town, Nanjungud in India. Through field surveys, we documented four crucial environmental indicators tailored for Indian conditions: sidewalk availability, green view, aspect ratio, and connectivity. Both vehicle and pedestrian volumes are measured using gate count method at 22 different locations of the study area on weekdays and weekends. SPSS is utilized for analysing the correlation. The findings reveal a statistically significant, albeit moderate, correlation between sidewalk availability and pedestrian volume during day time (0.446). However, pedestrians were observed walking on the streets where the sidewalks are discontinuous. Additionally, there tends to be less of green view in the most populated streets, and a noticeable negative correlation of aspect ratio with sidewalk availability (−0.444). The study highlights the need to prioritize improvements in sidewalk infrastructure and urban shading enhancing the overall pilgrimage experience.