Media Release

Udupi, Oct 22: As part of Pro-Active streets, KNMTA (Karnataka Non-Motorized Transport Agency), a registered society under DULT (Directorate of Urban Land Transport) had floated Expression of Interest in TIER 2 and TIER 3 cities in Karnataka for design and implementation support to improve walkability of streets. KNMTA involves various stake holders of the society in the design process.

In this aspect, City Municipal Corporation, Udupi had expressed their willingness to participate and had pitched Dr V S Acharya Road to be taken up for design development. The stretch is approximately 1.8 Km in length starting from Syndicate circle to the District Commissioner’s office. As part of this programme, DULT, Bengaluru had floated a monsoon studio for a duration of eight weeks and collaborated with Manipal School of Architecture and Planning, MAHE, Manipal.

The first-year students of MArch, Urban Design and Development took part in this studio along with two faculty coordinators, Prof TN Trivikram, and Prof Akshatha Rao. Students had done an initial study and documentation to get hold of the activities on the street in the first three weeks. Two experts from DULT, Bengaluru had visited the site along with Mohan Raju, assistant executive engineer from CMC, Udupi.

As part of the monsoon studio, a two-day workshop was organised by DULT on October 14 and 15, at their head office in Bengaluru, where the students and one of the studio co-ordinators, Prof TN Trivikram took part. The students presented an initial imprint of the study conducted on the road and later worked on conceptual design. The conceptual design was presented to Manjula IAS, commissioner, DULT, Bengaluru and other technical members of the organisation.

The two-day workshop was helpful to ideate on possible design interventions. The designs are now being refined for further details.