ENHANCING THE PERCEPTION OF AN URBAN AREA - A CASE STUDY OF BATALA CITY

The city image defines how people see and recall aspects in urban environments. The most distinguishing components of urban landscape, classified as pathways, nodes, boundaries, districts, and landmarks, form people's mental representations of the city. Because to urbanisation, India's historic cities are in grave danger. The heritage zones are essential components of the city's fabric, contributing to the city's image. Apart from possessing magnificent examples of traditional architecture, these heritage neighbourhoods serve as cultural and social hubs for the city, providing citizens with a sense of worth. The development process over the last few decades has had such an impact on historic towns that evidence of their historic worth is being destroyed forever. This historical zone is plagued by numerous concerns and problems. People come to Batala to enjoy the city's Punjabi culture and traditions. Maximum tourist visit to the city during "BABE DA VIVAH". This cultural zone is a one-of-a-kind place where the ambiance blends both old and modern architecture, and it is a multifunctional area offering a mix of history, educational, entertainment, residential, culinary, and so on. This area has a rich history, as evidenced by the presence of four major ancient monuments: Shamsher Khan Tomb, Jal Mahal, Baring Chaple, and Maharaj Sher Singh Palace. During the British Raj, this region was also frequented by British people. This cultural district has a number of issues, including a lack of a pedestrian area, criminal activity, a change in space use, changes in scale and land use, and so on. Furthermore, Batala city has no space for social interaction or recreation; there is only 0.81% of recreational area in the city, which is almost negligible; thus, there is an urgent need to create one cultural district in the city, which will not only help the city's residents socialise but will also attract tourists, resulting in the preservation of heritage monuments and increased revenue for the city.