M. Sudheer Kumar^1*, N.C. Mondal², Harinath Maragouni³, J. Vijaya Kumar³, K. Srinivasa Reddy⁴ and Abhay M. Varade⁵

¹Central Ground Water Board, North West Himalaya Region, Jammu-180004, India

²Earth Process Modeling Group, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad-500007, India

³Department of Geology, Osmania University, Hyderabad-500007, India

⁴ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad-500059, India

⁵Department of Geology, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur-440001, India

*E-mail: sudheermarsetty72@gmail.com

Abstract

Hyderabad city is one of the fastest growing mega-cities in Southern India. It is facing loads of economic, social and environmental problems due to rapid urban growth. Therefore, understanding and periodic monitoring of the land use changes in different parts of the city to detect urban growth activities is required for the better planning of resources and providing basic amenities to its residents. Accordingly, remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) tools were used to map the land use classes for different time periods in an area of 453km2 in a part of Hyderabad city. This is done to examine apparent changes in land use through Satellite Image Merge obtained from (IRS Pan + LISS III) of 2003, (Pan + LISS III) of 2006 and (Cartosat + LISS 4) of 2009. The results show that the total built up area has increased up to 18km2 in the investigated area over a period of six years from 2003 to 2009. The fallow area decreased by 21km2, whereas there is no change in land with cultivation, scrub or without scrub compared with 2006 and 2009 satellite imageries. The plantation area has increased up to 5km2 (1.1%) of the study area in 2009. There is no change in agricultural land, reserved forest and land without scrub, which can provide the basis for sustainable urban planning in the study area.

Keywords: Remote sensing, GIS, Urban growth, Hyderabad city, Southern India