Monitoring urban growth dynamics using remote sensing and GIS techniques of Raiganj Urban Agglomeration, India

Abstract

The present paper explores the urban dynamicity and urban growth types of Raiganj, a small city in West Bengal. The paper evaluates the landuse landcover (LULC) changes and spatial expansion of the urban area for the year 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2019. The LULC Change revealed that the unsustainable trend of built-up expansion continued in this area. The built-up area increased 4.30 percent (1991) to 20.25 percent (2019), resulting in a loss in prime agricultural land, fallow land, and vegetation. The weights of evidence and Pearson’s Chi-square test have revealed that Raiganj (UA) has a low degree of freedom. Shannon entropy results indicates that high growth of sprawl is taking place in Raiganj (UA). The analysis of urban growth types shows that the urban growth took place as edge expansion in the beginning (1991–2001), which has been increased in 2001–2011 and 2011–2019. The study has established that it is useful to identify recent and future urban growth, urban growth typology, and development that help local planning authorities manage growth and development following the area's environmental or ecological carrying capacity.

Keywords

• Landuse/Landcover
• Urban growth
• Degree of freedom
• Shannon entropy
• Urban growth types