| IMPACTS OF ABANDONED RAILWAY LANDSCAPES ON SOCIAL WELLBEING AT RATMALANA, COLOMBO, SRI LANKA |
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Kaha Kachchi P. S. Amandi, Anishka A. Hettiarachchi Article DOI: www.doi.org/10.53700/jrap3522025_5 ABSTRACT The study examined the impacts of abandoned railway landscapes on the social well-being (SWB) of residential communities in Ratmalana, Colombo, which was shaped by neoliberal urban forces. The research adopted a theoretical framework integrating Urban Decay and Social Capital theories, complemented by the Spiral of Decline and Broken Windows theories. Six key available abandoned landscape (AAL) impacts were conceptualized as independent variables. At the same time, the Personal Well-Being Index-Adult (PWI-A) was employed to assess seven domains of subjective well-being as dependent variables. Through a mixed-methods approach, data were collected using spatial observations, documentation, and surveys with fifty residents, based on an author-designed questionnaire and the PWI-A scale. Findings revealed that visual blight (2.12) was the most salient source of dissatisfaction associated with AALs, while the future security dimension recorded the lowest overall score in SWB (1.86). The community was classified as "No Well-being" (NW) due to the overall SWB being measured at 36% on the PWI-A scale. It was concluded that adaptive reuse, safety enhancement, inclusive participation, and balanced investment could create well-being-centered, equitable, and community-driven approaches to urban policy. Such approaches were proposed to counter urban decay while revitalizing neglected areas, strengthening social capital, and creating sustainable and socially cohesive urban landscapes. Keywords: Abandoned landscapes, social we l-being, residential community, neoliberal, urbanization, subjective well-being.
Volume 35 Issue 2 |
ISSN (P) 1728-7715 - ISSN (E) 2519-5050 Issue DOI: www.doi.org/10.53700/jrap3522025 |
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