GIS-Based Sustainable Accessibility Mapping of Urban Parks: Evidence from the Second Largest Settlement of Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Hyderabad’s recreational amenities have made limited progress in comparison to the development of its industrial and commercial sectors. People require parks to unwind from their hectic lives. Parks can be a healthy location to host social events and can enhance community bonds. The evaluation of park accessibility has not been considered over the years in Hyderabad. Hyderabad is the eighth largest settlement in Pakistan and the second largest in the Sindh province. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the spatial accessibility of the urban parks situated in the city’s distinct locations. The spatial distribution of parks throughout the city was determined in this research. This study evaluated how accessible urban parks are to users by conducting a buffer analysis with ArcGIS-10.8. The questionnaire survey was conducted to record the participants’ opinions about the existing conditions of the parks with a sample size of 400. There was a total of 28 inaccessible urban parks found in Hyderabad. The total facility coverage was decided to be 0.80%. This value is extremely low as per local standards. Therefore, this study recommends the planned development of 40–45 parks to reach the standard level of 18% of the park coverage area. This study suggests that government officials should take pivotal measures to better maintain parks. This research is significant in the advanced modern world because natural areas, such as parks, can offer social and psychological benefits to society. The accessibility of parks is essential for the prosperity of citizens and the achievement of sustainable development goals. The findings of this research may contribute to SDGs 3 and 11, i.e., good health and well-being and sustainable cities and communities.