Initiative to Develop a First-of-its-Kind Adolescent-Friendly Public Space at Rajdhani College , Bhubaneswar

18Th Dec 2024 (Odisha Tazanews) Bhubaneswar :-> HumaraBachpan Trust (HBT) and World Resources Institute (WRI), India, in collaboration with Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), have taken a significant step toward reimagining public spaces in Bhubaneswar for adolescents through the Healthy Cities for Adolescents (HCA-II) program. This initiative aims to create safe, healthy, and vibrant public spaces while empowering adolescents as ‘Public Space Ambassadors’ who actively participate in urban planning and decision-making processes.

As part of this initiative, the Rajdhani College Frontage is being developed as a Model Adolescent-Friendly Public Space using Tactical Urbanism (TU) processes. This model will set an example for similar developments across Bhubaneswar. On December 17, 2024, a Capacity Building Workshop and Public Space Audit took place at Rajdhani College, where 100+ adolescents came together to share ideas, conduct audits, and propose actionable designs to transform the space into a safe, inclusive, and vibrant area.

Adolescents were oriented on the significance of public spaces, their role in city planning, and how to address challenges and opportunities in their frequently accessed areas. Hands-on sessions and an on-site audit allowed the participants to evaluate the Rajdhani College Frontage. The students shared actionable design recommendations to make the space more inclusive, vibrant, and welcoming. A preliminary design presentation was also reviewed by the adolescent participants for further feedback.The capacitated students of Rajdhani College will play a key role in the upcoming Tactical Urbanism development process for the college frontage.
The workshop was inaugurated by Prof.

Minati Mishra, Principal of Rajdhani College, along with Dr. Subrat Kumar Samal, OIC, Career Counseling Cell, Ms. Arpita Pattnaik, Executive Director of HBT, and Ms. Dipanjali Swain, Trustee, HBT.  Prof. Mishra emphasized, “A city must address the needs of all age groups, especially adolescents, to promote inclusivity and vibrancy in public spaces.” Ms. Pattnaik encouraged the participants to actively voice their ideas and participate in urban planning to make Bhubaneswar’s public spaces safer and more adolescent-friendly.

The event demonstrated the critical role adolescents play in urban development. Their insights and suggestions will guide the transformation of Rajdhani College Frontage into a Model Adolescent-Friendly Public Space, serving as a replicable framework for similar initiatives across Bhubaneswar.