A gathering in Bengaluru explored questions about ‘who cities are built for?'

Bengaluru: Transportation plays a crucial role in influencing the quality of life of individuals and communities. While there are plenty of efforts to improve transport, there are few that connect transport to the needs of those living in informal housing, or slum rehabilitation (resettlement) quarters in metropolitan cities like Bengaluru. Alli Serona, the Bengaluru-based collective, brought together key players from the mobility and housing spaces, to surface synergies, gaps and drive towards co-created solutions.

With over 640 informal settlements accommodating 44 per cent of Bengaluru's population, residents from the informal sector often cope with issues like unstable housing, limited transportation access, unfair distribution of economic and environmental benefits, and policies. Recognizing these longstanding challenges, this convening event brought together key stakeholders in the mobility and housing sectors on 28th November at the Bangalore Creative Circus. Themed "Who are cities made by and who are cities made for?," the event underscored the ongoing need for a multisectoral approach to building inclusive cities—spanning transport, mobility, urban planning, housing, and beyond.

Then convening looked at Bengaluru's urban challenges, focusing on the city's struggles with development, mobility, transport, and basic amenities. A key highlight of the convening was the panel discussion titled "Who are cities made by and who are cities made for?" which explored Bengaluru's historical development and the importance of including the marginalised in decision-making.

Shares Kanishk Kabiraj, a representative from Alli Serona, “Good urban public transport systems are not just critical from an emissions reduction point of view, they are critical in ensuring a good quality of life for residents. With this convening, our aim was to bring together practitioners from across fields to discuss, share and ideate on what true cross-sectoral collaboration means and looks like in creating a liveable city for all”

During the convening, Bengawalk presented videos illustrating the connection between transportation and housing and showcased how safe and affordable transportation can open up livelihood opportunities and access to services for those living in informal settlements and resettlement areas, ultimately improving their quality of life. Simultaneously, an Experience Zone featured the ‘Alli Serona Bus Stop’ installation which toured around the city in the month of October, making headlines around the need for improved mobility options in certain pockets of the city

Suhasini Seelin, in collaboration with Kahe Vidushak and Alli Serona presented an engaging street-style theatre performance about the growing city of Bengaluru and the challenge of ensuring equitable access to public transport for all. How many of us discuss our daily commutes with pleasure? Set on a plot with a city built on matrix of Rows and Columns, 'Last Mile' raises the voice of the rows on last-mile connectivity and informal settlements.

Through this convening, Alli Serona was able to create a constructive dialogue about housing and transportation accessibility for those from the margins of the city, and build an understanding on ways in which a multi-sectoral approach across urban planning, transport, and mobility, housing, and other sectors can bring forth solutions to positively impact the lives of residents.