‘A Park for All: Planning and Governing Green for Urban Karnataka’ is a research report by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy that examines the role of public parks as essential urban infrastructure in rapidly growing Indian cities, with a specific focus on Karnataka. At a time when cities are expanding into dense “concrete jungles”, the project situates public parks as critical urban commons: spaces that support environmental sustainability, public health, and social life. The report responds to the growing pressures of urbanisation, including loss of green cover, rising temperatures, and declining quality of life, by asking a central question: how can cities enhance liveability by providing accessible open spaces to their people?

This event is organised in the backdrop of the report by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy at the BLR Design Centre. The event brings together urban practitioners, worker representatives, disability rights advocates, caregivers, and community voices to reflect on how parks are planned, governed, and lived in — and what it would mean to truly build parks for all.

The Many Lives of a Park: An Interdisciplinary Panel Discussion

1. Planning, Spatial Design, and Ecology

Panelists: Naresh Narasimhan (MOD Foundation), Seema Mundoli (Azim Premji University), Kiran Keswani (Everyday City Lab), Pravar Chaudhary (Bengawalk)

As cities expand and densify, parks are increasingly expected to serve multiple functions: providing recreational space, supporting biodiversity, mitigating urban heat, and enhancing overall liveability. However, our research shows that these objectives are not always effectively integrated into planning processes. Issues such as poor design, inadequate distribution of parks, and limited ecological sensitivity can reduce their usability and long-term resilience. 

Something that our research also highlights is the consideration for the type of species chosen for parks. Rising urban temperatures are driven by both climate change and human activity creating urban heat islands. Public parks offer a critical response by acting as cooling infrastructures: through shade and biodiversity.

2. Governance, Finance, and Maintenance

Panelists: LK Atheeq, IAS Retd (Bengaluru Business Corridor), Sathya Sankaran (Rainmatter Foundation), Ankit Bhargava (Sensing Local), Kaveri Bahure (C40 Cities)

While parks are critical urban infrastructure, their everyday functioning depends on complex and often fragmented systems of governance, financing, and maintenance. This theme focuses on the institutional realities that shape how parks are managed. Why do many struggle to remain accessible, functional, and well-maintained over time? 

Our report highlights gaps in legal frameworks, overlapping institutional responsibilities, and inconsistent funding mechanisms that affect park outcomes across Karnataka. Questions of accountability: Who is responsible for upkeep? How resources are allocated, and how decisions are made? These questions remain central to understanding why parks succeed or fail.

3. Rethinking the ‘Public’ in Public Parks

Panelists: Nalini Shekar (Hasiru Dala), Jagadeesh MR (MoonArra), Vinay Sarathy (United Food Delivery Partners Union), Ashmira Hamirani (APD India) 

Public parks are often imagined as open and democratic spaces, accessible to all. However, in practice, access to parks is deeply shaped by social, physical, and institutional barriers. This theme interrogates the idea of the “public” in public parks by asking a fundamental question: who are these spaces really designed for and who do they exclude? Beyond physical entry, the theme also explores questions of comfort, belonging, and legitimacy. Who feels welcome to linger, gather, or express themselves in parks? What kinds of activities are encouraged, and which are restricted or policed?

Please note that participation is open to all, but we request you to register your interest.

For any other enquiries, please write to varini.g@vidhilegalpolicy.in

If you want to know more about Karnataka’s legal and planning framework for public parks, read our report ‘A Park for All: Planning and Governing Green for Urban Karnataka.’