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Project Details

Title of Project
Operationalising Urban Blue-Green Infrastructure As A Decision - Support and Investment Planning Tool for Climate-Resilience in 'Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala'
Starting Date
20 July.2026
Ending Date
19.Jan.2027
Principal Investigator
Mr. Rajeev R (PI)
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TUR Project 26 01

Project Description

Operationalising Urban Blue-Green Infrastructure As A Decision - Support and Investment Planning Tool for Climate-Resilience in 'Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala'

(TUR_26_01)

TOD District Rendering
Metro Station Influence Zone Map
Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI)
Nature-Based Solutions
Climate-Resilient Investment Planning
Ecosystem Services Valuation
Urban green spaces (UGS) identified in statutory plans across Indian cities frequently remain underutilised or unimplemented, despite escalating risks associated with urban heat stress, localized flooding, and broader ecological degradation. This discrepancy highlights a critical gap between theoretical planning intent and tangible on-ground performance. To address these challenges, this targeted urban research focuses on developing a robust decision-support and investment planning toolkit aimed at operationalizing UGS as functional, climate-resilient Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI). The study employs a two-tier methodology piloted in Thiruvananthapuram, a city experiencing a non-uniform distribution of green spaces alongside emerging climate vulnerabilities.
The research project initiates with a rapid city-level screening utilizing secondary spatial data to map existing green spaces, drainage systems, and flood-prone areas, thereby identifying priority intervention zones. Subsequently, a detailed sub-city profiling within the Aakkulam-Veli area will integrate field-based assessments to evaluate hydrological behavior, land availability, and infrastructure constraints. By estimating the value of key ecosystem services and developing standardized BGI design typologies complete with technical specifications and indicative unit costs, the project will culminate in a comprehensive BGI Investment Tool. This toolkit will integrate financing and revenue recovery mechanisms, providing an actionable roadmap for urban local bodies to transition from master planning directly to capital works implementation.
A-CUPCB-SPAV

Project
Benefits

Evolving a Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) Investment Tool for climate-resilient cities shall accomplish the following:

  • Strategic Prioritization: Delivering a replicable, GIS-based screening methodology to enable Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to rapidly identify and prioritize zones for BGI interventions utilizing secondary data.
  • Climate Resilience & Valuation: Evaluating the functionality of existing green networks and quantifying the value of key ecosystem services to mitigate urban heat and localized flooding.
  • Scalable Design Typologies: Developing standardized BGI design toolkits featuring precise technical specifications and indicative unit costing for scalable application.
  • Investment-Ready Pipelines: Formulating an actionable BGI Investment Tool that establishes a prioritized, phased list of projects, enabling ULBs to seamlessly initiate Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation and capital works.
  • Sustainable Financial Integration: Outlining practical financing and revenue recovery mechanisms, including land value capture and scheme convergence, to link enhanced green infrastructure directly to long-term financial sustainability.
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