Urban Blue-Green Spaces in India: Health, Access, and Hidden Inequities

Urban blue-green spaces or UBGS, which include urban water bodies and vegetated areas, play a key role in advancing Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good health and well-being) and 11 (Sustainable cities and communities). Yet much of the ‘blue health’ literature is grounded in experiences from Europe and other high-income regions, where such spaces are often treated mainly as recreational amenities. This overlooks the socio-ecological realities of rapidly urbanizing countries like India, where UBGS can be closely tied to everyday survival, livelihoods, and exposure to environmental risks. In this paper, equity in UBGS access and its health linkages in Indian cities have been examined, with implications for global urban planning and policy. Following the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework, literature published between 2014-2024 was identified in major scholarly databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed), combing search terms on blue-green infrastructure, health equity, environmental justice, and urban India. From the 45 included documents, thematic synthesis focused on spatial patterns of provision, the ways UBGS are used and valued by different social groups, and how policies and planning processes shape access and outcomes. Three interrelated themes emerged from this. First, distributive inequity: better-maintained UBGS cluster in affluent areas, while low-income settlements face degraded, flood-prone sites. Second, functional mismatch: designs prioritized aesthetic and recreational functions like promenades and jogging tracks, over livelihood needs like washing, fishing, grazing, or cultural practices. Third, green gentrification: restoration often raises land values and directly or indirectly displaces residents leading to a shift in the benefits to wealthier groups. These patterns outline Indian UBGS as contested resources rather than neutral health assets. Global North models risk missing survival functions and widening gaps. The Indian case offers lessons for cities growing rapidly and facing climate stress and socio-spatial divides. Planning must integrate anti-displacement measures and multi-use recognition, shifting from proximity to equitable access. Urban planners, policymakers, and public health officials stand to benefit from evidence-based strategies linking UBGS to resilience and justice.