Sustainable walkability around green, blue, and spiritual spaces in a semi-urban district of coastal Karnataka, India

Walkability plays a pivotal role in promoting sustainable urban development by influencing physical activity, social cohesion, and environmental well-being. This study aimed to assess the walkability around green (parks, forests), blue (beaches), and spiritual spaces in Udupi, a semi-urban district of coastal Karnataka, using a mixed-methods approach. Walkability was evaluated through three complementary perspectives: internet-based assessments, investigator-led audits, and inhabitant-reported perceptions. In the internet-based phase, Walk Score was determined using geospatial coordinates and proximity to essential amenities. During the investigator-led phase, pathways, traffic conditions, and live footage from five selected sites (two blue, two green, and one spiritual space) were video recorded and analyzed for key walkability determinants such as safety, traffic flow and pedestrian infrastructure. In the inhabitant-reported phase, walkability perceptions were gathered from 45 residents living near these spaces. None of the assessed locations achieved high walkability (> 70%), with all classified as ‘car dependent’. Spiritual spaces (Maruthi Veethika) exhibited relatively better walkability due to higher proximity to amenities, while blue and green spaces suffered from significant pedestrian infrastructure deficiencies. Linear mixed models indicated no significant differences in walkability across locations (χ² = 7.70, p = 0.173), but significant variation was observed between assessment methods (χ² = 44.67, p < 0.001). Inhabitants consistently perceived higher walkability than investigator and internet-based assessments, suggesting perceptual optimism despite infrastructural gaps. These findings highlight the importance of triangulated approaches and context-sensitive evaluation tools in semi-urban mobility research.