Satellite remote sensing in urban sprawl mapping & monitoring a case study of Delhi

Visual interpretation of satellite data products coupled with field checking is a very useful technique of finding out the physical growth of urban centres. The expansion of urban centres is very fast and conventional ground methods are slow and in-accurate because by these methods, delineation of built-up area is difficult. Mapping and monitoring the urban sprawl, as a result of urban decay of city centre, at regular intervals is very essential for urban planners to understand the trend of development on the urban periphery and subsequently to regulate it. In this study, various data products like Landsat MSS, TM, Toposheets were used to find out the growth of Delhi urban area since 1975 to 1988. Thematic Mapper imagery was used to prepare a broad landuse/land cover map of Delhi and environs. This study was very useful in finding out the potential, as well as shortcomings of satellite data products in the study of various urban aspects.