Reclaiming abandoned railway landscapes for community well-being a case study of Ratmalana, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The study examined the impact of abandoned landscapes on the social well-being of nearby residential communities, focusing on the abandoned railway premises in Ratmalana, Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was selected as a suburban area with delayed redevelopment and long-term exposure to environmental neglect. Framed by the theories of Urban Decay, Spiral of Decline, Broken Windows, and Social Disorganization, the research identified six significant abandonment-related impacts as independent variables, with Social Well-Being as the dependent variable. Social well-being was assessed using the Personal Well-being Index-A across seven key factors through a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative data, including field observations, physical assessments, and a household survey (N = 50). The study found that visual blight was the most unsatisfactory factor, with a mean score of 2.12, while vandalism had the least impact (M=2.94). Among social well-being indicators, future security recorded the lowest (M=1.86), whereas achieving life recorded the highest (M=2.72). Overall, the community's subjective well-being was categorized as ‘challenged level’ in the PWI-A category, reflecting a reduced quality of life. The study concludes that adaptive reuse, enhanced safety, inclusive participation, and balanced investment are essential for revitalizing abandoned urban landscapes and strengthening social well-being.