Sustainable Environment (Dec 2024)

Geospatial measurement of urban sprawl and land transformation using multi-temporal datasets: A case study of Sonipat-Kundli urban agglomeration

  • Preeti Verma,
  • Ravinder Jangra,
  • S.P. Kaushik

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/27658511.2024.2366556
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 1

Abstract

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Following India’s economic liberalization, rapid economic growth is driving urban sprawl in mid-sized cities, altering land use patterns from the core to the periphery of the city. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the evolving urban landscape in the Sonipat-Kundli urban agglomeration within the Delhi-NCR region, focusing on land use changes. Leveraging remote sensing data and analytical techniques, the study spans 1991 to 2021, using Landsat imagery and ERDAS Imagine software. Employing a Maximum Likelihood Classifier, it creates Land Use Land Cover maps, evaluating accuracy with the Kappa coefficient. Utilizing built-up density and the Shannon Entropy model, it assesses urban sprawl dynamics. Zoning, based on road networks and CBD buffer zones, enhances the analysis. Land transformation indicates that large tracts of agricultural land are directly converted to built-up patches which are used majorly for residential and industrial purposes. Notably, a leapfrog pattern of sprawl, driven by industrial development, is observed encroaching on agricultural land in Kundli away from the core city of Sonipat. These findings provide vital insights for future urban planning, policy formulation, and sustainable development initiatives in the region.

Keywords