The Mundane and (Extra)Ordinary Public Spaces in India: Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Through an Everyday Lens in Chennai City

In India, the lockdown imposed due to the pandemic is considered unprecedented for the sheer size of the population it affected and the extent of the mobility that happens within and across the cities it impacted. However, very little has been discussed in relation to public spaces and everyday life in Indian cities. The impact of the lockdown on public spaces can mean different things to different user groups. Using a socio-spatial lens, this chapter critically reflects on the role of everyday public spaces in Indian cities during the pandemic and how they potentially provide revealing insights on power relations and urban inequalities. Drawing upon theories from human geography, phenomenology, urban studies, environmental psychology, the chapter situates urban informality in public spaces in India within the everyday socio-spatial narratives of identity and belonging, the right to city and equity opportunities in cities.