A Composite Urban Blight Identification and Evaluation Index (CUBIE): A Systems-Driven Approach Based on Empirical Evidence from Kolkata, India

Urban blight has become a pressing concern for cities across the globe. The presence of blight leads to functional, social, and economic depreciation, lowering community wellbeing and quality of life. Due to the dynamic nature of this phenomenon, policies formulated to counter blight often prove to be ineffective in addressing place-based urgencies in the affected areas. Existing guidelines and frameworks have often failed to empirically identify blighted regions and ascertain the conditions of affected areas. This research seeks to address this prevalent gap in the literature by proposing a Composite Urban Blight Identification and Evaluation Index. By employing the coupling coordination method, this research developed an index for quantitative evaluation of urban blight based on identified criteria. The proposed index was applied to analyze and determine the state of blight in five selected wards of Kolkata, India, demonstrating its reliability. This research makes an important contribution to the existing body of knowledge and can aid decision-makers in the pragmatic formulation of solutions for alleviating urban blight.