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Urban growth monitoring along Islamabad Highway through Satellite Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System
Bushra Naseem
Environmental Science Program
Fatima Jinnah Women University
The Mall, Rawalpindi Pakistan
Email: bnms@hotmail.com
M. Iqbal Tubbsum
Visiting Faculty Member, (Environmental Sciences Program)
Fatima Jinnah Women University
The Mall, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Email: iqbaltabbsum@yahoo.com
Tayyab Ikram Shah
Visiting Faculty Member, (Environmental Sciences Program)
Fatima Jinnah Women University
The Mall, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Email: tayyabishah@hotmail.com
Abstract
The problem of expansion of the urban areas has affected the settlement pattern and land uses around the suburban, which at the same time partially increased the area and population as well. Particularly, the area along Islamabad Highway is rapidly changing its appearance into urban rural fringe. The reason is facility of transportation and importance of highway, which joins to Grand trunk Road at Rawat Junction. The highway has efficiently given the convenience in movement to the people and easy access towards health and education facilities.
The systematic approach of satellite remote sensing and GIS evolves as a foundation for data consolidation across functional and organizational boundaries at site so the research was conducted to highlight the trend of urbanization. By using satellite remote sensing, land cover and land use was identified for effective assessment of deforestation and defined the urban rural fringe.
The subscenes of SPOT satellite having panchromatic mode of year 1992 and 2000 was used. The classification technique and image insertion method was used to observe the change detection. In order to calculate urban and forest area, these satellite images was processed in AutoCAD Map 2000i and to show the thematic maps of the study, ArcView 3.1 was used. The spatial analysis of the data encompasses the trend of urbanization and simplified geographical situation of the study area. The deforestation was observed among the temporal datasets of 1976, 1992, and 2000 and the trend of deforestation is observed by overlay the forest area of these three years. To mark urban rural fringe, the data of housing statistics and population was attached with the map to observe the development of the area within the selected years of the study. The projected facilities and utilities in Bahria Town (urban colony) were discussed after the development of GIS of this housing scheme by generating the land use map of Bahria Town.
Introduction
Land development follows two important routes: Land Use, and Expansion of Urban Areas. Land use is characterized as the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover type to produce, change or maintain it. Urbanization is an increasing concentration of the population in cities and transformation of land use and society to a metropolitan pattern of organization. The change detection is necessary for the management of natural resources. To observe the change detection and mark the urban rural fringe, census data is not enough so the integration of Satellite Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System is an enabling technology to monitor urban growth. Forestry is an agent of change and the change can be detected by comparison between two images. Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and it is the modern city of the world.
Urbanization is increasing day by day because of employment, health, and education facilities. The rural locations are merged in urban area producing the urban rural fringe. During the period 1951-61, the rural population of Pakistan had increased by 19.7 percent and the urban population by 56.1 percent. For the eighteen cities listed for which comparative figures for 1962-72 ranges from 24.6 percent for Peshawar to 92 percent for Faisalabad with large cities of Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi having increase rates of 81.3, 65.7 and 10.8 percent respectively. The overall rate of increase for all these cities together is 67 percent, which includes growth from reproduction as well as increase from net migrations and annexations. (Table 1)
Study Objectives
The aim of this study is to observe the land cover & land use with the help of the knowledge of Satellite Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System. The study objectives were:
- To utilize the knowledge of satellite remote sensing and GIS for the analysis of urban growth; changes in urban settlements, and to show the trend of urbanization.
- To observe and analyze the extent of deforestation due to urban settlements.
- To analyze the most efficient users of physical and financial resources at local level.
- To observe the land cover land use.
- By marking the urban agglomeration area, urban morphological zone can be observed and development of urban rural fringe.
The study area comprised SPOT subscene, having area coverage of 117.2556 square kilometer. It includes a part of Capital City of Islamabad and the little part of Rawalpindi at the adjoining boundary.
Islamabad has a land area of 906 square kilometer (administrative area 220 sq.km, Margalla Hill National Park 220sq.km, and Rural Islamabad 466 sq.km) and a present population of 525,000 (1998 census with a growth rate of 5.15%). Islamabad city is a part of Potohar Plateaue and the height of the region ranges in between 502 to 609 meters above mean sea level. Islamabad is blessed with Margalla Hills National Park extending over an area of more than 220 square kilometers. Three dams including Khanpur, Rawal, and Simly dams exist in the region.
The Loi Bher Forest
Loi Bher Forest is 16km away from Rawalpindi and situated along Islamabad Highway. Loi Bher forest is an unclassed forest having an area of 1087 acres according to the survey of early 1970’s. The 200-acre area of the forest is under the control of Rawalpindi Development Authority.
A big current nullah is passing through it. The main crop of this forest is Achasia modesta (pallai: local name). It is divided into eight compartments based on natural boundary line. The surface soil of the forest is consisted of the alluvial deposits of sand and clay mixed with boulders, generally of small size. The rocks are exposed of at places. The slope is moderately steep. The artificial plantation is in 4 compartments out of 8 compartments and the field wood is exploited 300cft/acre.
The Wildlife Park is established in this forest. The forest provides the aesthetic sense to local habitant, regressional facilities, and pollution free environment. Besides, it provides fodder to local livestock and fuel wood. The nullah passing through it is beneficial for providing water to the livestock as well as local people.
Urban Area along Islamabad Highway
The Private organizations procure the land along Islamabad Highway from Capital Development Authority to develop the housing schemes. The area is under the control of CDA & RDA because of adjoining areas but the planning does not belong to CDA & RDA. The organizations planned the whole area for housing facilities.
The urbanization is spreading on the both sides of the Islamabad Highway and hence the boundaries of these colonies are joining to the rural locations of Islamabad Highway. This indicates the unplanned urbanization of study area. The colonies, which came under, this research along Islamabad Highway, are; Bahria Town, Doctors Town, Korang Town, Commoners Town, Pakistan Town, PWD Colony, Site for Swan Garden, River Garden, Police Foundation, Jubilee Town, Sihala, CBR Housing Schemes, Bankers Town, and Awan-e-Sadar Housing schemes.
The colonies, which are situated along Islamabad Highway and also join the Rawalpindi because of GT Road; Model Town, Jeddah Town, and Fatima Villa. The area is going to be developing on the highest rate because of Islamabad Highway, which is joined to Rawalpindi City and Grand Trunk Road.
Dataset
Following satellite data, maps, and attributa data was used:
- The subscenes {satellite images (195/282, 196/283)} of SPOT P-mode (Panchromatic or Monochromatic Mode) of year 1992 and 2000.
- Existing Maps
- Topographic Map (Scale: 1:50,000) of year 1982
- Guide Map of Rawalpindi and Islamabad 1976
- Regional Map of urban area
- District Census Report
- The software used during this research was:
- ER Mapper
- Arc View 3.1
- AutoCAD Map 2000i
The interfacing of GIS and SRS in this study provides a new and exciting capability to analyze the dynamics of land-use change. The unique feature of SRS compared to other tools is that it can be used to collect data for baseline inventory and future monitoring purposes. Since spatial relationships were inherent to the environmental data, GIS technology provided an effective means for intuitive access to the Site's environmental information.
The remote sensing readily was merged with other resources of geocoded information in a GIS. This permitted the overlapping of several layers of information with the remotely sensed data, and the application of a virtually unlimited numbers of forms of data analysis. The land cover data was calculated the change in urban area and forest area.
The complete methodology of the research is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Flow chart showing complete research method
Data Processing
The two-mutidate satellite images were used to show the trend of urbanization. One of the images was of year 1992, and the other one was of year 2000. Image to image registration was followed. The same procedures (Georefrencing, Enhancement, Spatial Filtering) in ER Mapper were applied on multi-date satellite images. To improve the visual interpretability of an image by increasing the apparent distinction between the features in the scene, image enhancement was carried out. The most common “contrast stretching” was applied. Spatial filtering is a local operation in that fixed values in an original image was modified on the basis of the gray levels of neighboring pixels. High Pass Filter was used to sharpen the edges and its main emphasis was brightened the small areas.
The method that was used for change detection was Multi Date Band Insertion. For this purpose, placed the multi date images into single track in such a way that both the images were overlay each other. In order to monitor urban growth and considering the process of converting vacant natural landscape into an extensive living community, the technique of classification was used. The objective of the classification was to replace visual analysis of the image data with quantitative techniques for automating the identification of features in a scene.
The first step to get the information and the urban or forest area of the satellite image was the development of the vector layer. The vector layer was developed through Digitization in AutoCAD Map 2000i and the ‘Heads up Digitization’ method was followed.
In Arc View 3.1, the remote sensing data was merged with other resources of geocoded information to show the trend of urbanization in terms of spatial analysis and thematic maps. The script was run to calculate the urban area of 1992, 2000 and the forest area of 1976, 1992, and 2000. For the development of urban rural fringe, buffers were generated.
The theme of year 1976, 1992 was added and then the theme of year 2000 was added. Both the themes remained active and overlay the urban area of both the years for visual analysis. Similarly, the themes of forest area remained active and overlay each other, which showed clear deforestation phenomena. Bahria Town Housing Scheme was selected to observe the land use of a planner. The digitized map was exported in the *.shp format to ArcView. This map was categorized to observe the land use in ArcView. After preparing the maps in Arc View, layouts were prepared for the final output of the research.
Results
A satellite image is a digital picture of the earth. The satellite image used in this study was composed of a grid of pixels. A pixel, which is the smallest unit of an image, can be considered as a square in shape. The brightness of a pixel represented the reflected energy detected by the satellite sensor over the area of land covered by the pixel. The Grayscale image of year 1992 and 2000 was used for the research purpose [Figure 2 (a) & (b)]. The images are in panchromatic mode where as multispectral band is not used in the study because the concrete is visible in panchromatic mode. The pixel values in the image are interpreted as gray shades with lower pixel values assigned darker shades of gray. There were 256 shades of gray in these images.
The Image interpretation technique in this study enabled the use of satellite images as a spatial frame of reference. Image interpretation involved general examination of images, Extraction of features from images, and evaluation. Interpretation techniques include the detection, identification, and measurement of specific features so image interpretation after edge and contrast enhancement delineated:
Urban Area (Housing Schemes) along Islamabad Highway, Loi Bher Forest and a part of Takht Parri Forest, Roads, River, Railway Crossing, and the Settled Pattern of Rural Locations.
Figure 2 (a) & (b)
For the Digital Change Detection, Multi Date Band Insertion Method was followed. The green color was given to the image of year 1992 and red color was given to image of year 2000. This change detection method highlights all changes and the interpretation concentrates on change rather than the identification of changed features. The visual interpretation is excellent but the information, which was extracted regarding the amount of change, is little (Figure 3).The change detection’s Matrix shows the following colors: Red: Dark Red, Shadowy Appearance Red, Brownish Red Green: Dark Green, Parrot Green, Prussian Green, Plant Green, Yellowish Green, and Dull Grassy Green Color, Yellow and Brown
Figure 3 Digital Change Detection (Image Insertion Method)
Image classification was carried out to create a meaningful digital thematic map from an image dataset. The classes in the satellite images were derived from known cover types. A supervised classification procedure was carried out to extract quantitative information from remotely sensed data. In ER Mapper, Computer assisted classification of satellite images of Islamabad has given the results in Table 3.
Figure 4 (a) & (b) Image Classification of Islamabad Highway-Year 1992 & Image Classification of Islamabad Highway-Year 2000
There are three classes those are forest, urban area, and soil, which are shown by green, pink, and cyan color respectively in these digital thematic maps (Figure 4 a & b). The results show high trend of urbanization and the extent of deforestation. It is also clear from the qualitative assessment of the images that urbanization has increased within the period of eight years.
For the integrated GIS/SRS system, AutoCAD map 2000i acted as a communication tool. The development of vector layer shows the different regions of study area. Vector layer identifies linear features, colonies, and railway crossings. The rural locations were also marked. The results are clearly shown those hypothetical boundaries that are not present on the raster data set. The map of study area can be updated on regional and national scale level. The raster dataset is helpful in providing complete information about topography and terrain of the area. The vector layers of the map are copied and paste on Satellite image. The satellite image shows the pattern for updating of the map (Figure 5)
Figure 5 Overlaying of Vector Layer of 1982 and Satellite image of 2000
The total area of Islamabad Capital territory is 906 square kilometer, which gives the population density of 889 persons per square kilometer as against 375 persons observed in 1981 indicating a very fast growth rate of Islamabad. The urban population is 529, 180 or 65.7 percent of the total population of the district that has increased up to 805,000 in 1998. The urban population is increased and the comparative results of year 1992 and 2000 show the high extent of urbanization. The number of colonies has also increased which shows the demand of urban settlements (Figure 6).
Figure 6 Visual analysis of urban growth along islamabad highway through Multidate data
Loi Bher Forest is situated along Islamabad Highway and approximately 16 km away from Rawalpindi. The temporal data shows the extent of deforestation. The Survey of early 70’s indicates the total area of 1087 acres. The map of year 1976 indicates that, there was no colony at all. There was only rural population settled there. Same was the situation in year 1982, where as the satellite image of year 1992 shows the urban settlements, which have increased in year 2000. The increasing trend of urbanization caused deforestation. The gradual decrease in the forest area is shown in the map, which was developed in the ArcView 3.1 (Figure 7).
Figure 7 Visual analysis of deforestation through multidate data along islamabad highway
| Year | Area in Acres |
| 1976 | 880 |
| 1992 | 749 |
| 2000 | 594 |
The urban-rural fringe is a dynamic area that is located outside the city and its suburban realm; this fringe area is a buffer between urbanization and the rural countryside. This urban rural fringe of Islamabad Highway has increased day by day due to the housing demand of the population. This area was totally rural in past that has gradually transformed in urban rural fringe. The basic reason is Islamabad Highway, which passes through Rawalpindi and joins to GT Road and this path leads to Rawat that is the rural area. The map shows the urban rural fringe by buffering that is carried out on the basis of the distance between the colonies and rural locations (Figure 8).
Figure 8 Urban rural fringe along Islamabad highway
Bahria Town Housing Scheme is going to be developed along Islamabad Highway and this is the Zone-V of Islamabd. The boundaries touch the Loi Bher Forest. It has seven phases and the total number of plots is 6,500. The Phase-III is low cost scheme of seven phases. The total population, which is accommodated in project of Bahria Town, is estimated to be approximately 8,750 persons with the assumed household size of 6 persons. The land use map of Bahria Town is shown (Figure 9).
Figure 9 Land Use Map of Bahria Town
Discussions
Image is the real representation of the real world so it is used in different application of Environmental Sciences. There are four types of images; Monochrome, Pseudocolor, Grayscale, and True Color Mutiband. The satellite image that was used in this study was a very detailed, black and white, township-sized (6 mile x 6 mile) satellite image of the land and also known as SPOT FieldView BASEMAP. With FieldView BASEMAP, the detailed field boundaries, water, streams, buildings, roads, lanes, and various kinds of land cover are extracted through image interpretation.
The interpretation results of satellite images of year 1992 and 2000 are different. It is clear from visual interpretation that the trend of urbanization is higher in year 2000 than year 1992. It is known from interpretation of both images that land development categorizes as:
- High Intensity Developed
- Low Intensity Developed
- Low Developed
The left side of Islamabad Highway is of mixed categories of low intensity developed and high intensity developed. The area, which is on the adjoin of highway and GT ROAD like Model Town, is moderately developed. The front side of Model Town, which is near GT ROAD, is high intensity developed. It means, this High Intensity Developed Land includes heavily built-up urban centers and large constructed surfaces in suburban and rural areas with a variety of different land uses. The High Intensity category contains areas in which a significant land area is covered by concrete and asphalt or other constructed materials. The Vegetation that is present, occupies less than 20 percent of the landscape. The backside of Model Town near highway is low intensity developed. It means Contains substantial amounts of constructed surface mixed with substantial amounts of vegetated surface. Small buildings (such as single family housing, farm outbuildings, and sheds), streets, roads, and cemeteries with associated grasses and trees typically fall into this subclass. Along the left side of highway, Juditional Colony and PWD Colony is equally developed. The roads of these colonies are identified because of staright and linear features. The Commoners and Korang Town are in the state of developing condition. Sihala has two phases; one is rural phase and the other is a little urban phase. The urban phase of Sihala is low developed. Loi Bher Forest is 3km away from Islmabad Highway and its two patches are present between the sides of Jubilee Town and Korang Town. Islamabad Highway and GT Road are identified because of straight and linear feature. The river is identified due to its meandering nature.
There is a hell of difference between the results of interpretation of images of year 1992 and 2000. The satellite image of year 2000 shows that urban area is extended. The right side of Islamabad Highway is developed in year 2000. Awan-e-sadar housing schemes, Bankers Town, Sihala, Cadet College Hmuk, Institute of Islamic Engineering College are existed. The left side of highway shows that Juditional Colony, Korang Town, Model Town, and initial phases of Bahria Town are high intensity developed. Jeddah Town and Fatima Villa are also developed along GT Road. This area is situated along GT Road but it is considered as a part of Islamabad. River Garden, Soan Garden, CBR Housing Schemes, and the Doctors Town are new colonies, which are developed in year 2000. This extension of urban area shows the high trend of urbanization. The recreational park is also developed in Loi Bher Forest that provides the aesthetic sense and pollution free environment to people. The patches of Loi Bher Forest, which are present between the sides of Juditional colony and korang Town shown in the image of year 1992, are diminished. The deforestation is observed by comparing both the images.
To observe the land cover and land use, the digital change detection is used in a broad range of applications. The basic approach that is followed for the research is to monitor changes based on field data for different times and to study areas in remote sensing. For change detection, an important factor is the imagery acquisition. When multitemporal images are used, weather changes occur on the acquisition dates cause real changes in change detection. The imageries, which are used, are of summer season because it enhances the spectral separability and brightness of the area under study.
The upper part of satellite image and the right side of Islamabad Highway comprises of dark red and shadowy appearance red color. Dark red color indicates the entire development of the area, which was not present in year 1992. The shadowy appearance red color indicates those developmental progresses that are present in year 1992 and more developed in year 2000. The brownish red color indicates those changes, which exist in rural areas during the time of eight years. The brown color indicates the set pattern of rural locations and rural settlements, which are same in both years. Yellow color shows no change between years of 1992 and 2000. Plant green color in a defined pattern shows the fields of the rural area. Prussian green color indicates a complete pattern of trees on a small area. This color shows that pattern which is similar in both years. Yellowish green color that there was vegetation in year 1992 that is diminished in year 2000. Dull grassy green color shows herbs, shrubs, and bushes scatter side by side of railway crossing and in surrounding areas. The lower part of the image and right side of Islamabad Highway shows dark red color. This red color covers the area of Sihala. Basically, Sihala is a rural location that is completely developed in year 2000. Sihala is extended as urban area in year 2000. On the right side, Prussian green color indicates that green area which is similar in both years. Red color that is present in patches of Prussian green color indicates the change in green pattern in eight years.
The upper part of satellite image along the left side of Islamabad shows the mix colors; re, green, and yellow. The yellow color, which covers the Portion of Juditional Colony, shows no change and red color around Juditional Colony indicates the development of the area.
Supervised classification is carried out in ER Mapper and the results show the high trend of urbanization and extent of deforestation. The same procedure is applied in ArcView GIS to verify the results. The images are categorized by assigning the three classes. The area that is calculated with the help of number of pixels is similar as that of the area, which is obtained from area summary report in ER Mapper. Here, the results are verified. From the classified image, the visual interpretation of the colors shows the different land covers and the extent of urbanization. Conventionally, Geographic Information Systems may be divided into two kinds: those based upon 'raster' data (two-dimensional arrays of data values), such as those generated by satellites and other remote sensing operations; and those based on 'vector' data (lines and polygons). Raster data, while they often resemble photographs from a sufficient distance, are usually overly abstract and simplified when viewed close-up, and so have long been considered only suitable for use at the 'regional planning' end of the spectrum. Grid cells, or pixels, are often as much as 1 acre in size; although current satellite technology can generate finer resolutions such as pixels 20 or 30 meters square where as vector data, while offering more detail and the potential to 'zoom in' without loss of detail, as with a typical AutoCAD Map system, have been considered to be too manageable for very large areas, and so most useful at the 'fine scale design' end. It can be easily seen from the maps that with the help of AutoCAD map, the rural locations, which are like a dot on the map, are traced with complete boundary area. The forest boundaries are traced and exported to ArcView GIS to calculate the area and the overlay of the boundaries in the ArcView is possible because of the polygon of the forest area is transformed and exported to ArcView.
Updating map information using satellite data is a very cost effective and efficient method. Currently available map of Islamabad are very much confined to city area only where as sub-urban areas of Islamabad are also expanding very rapidly. Such kind of expansion of cities as a result of development activities is very difficult to map due to its highly dynamic nature but the satellite image of the current year is very helpful in upgrading the map of Islamabad on 1:50,000 scale. The PAN chromatic mode is used whose resolution is 10m and with the help of this resolution, the updating or upgrading of the 1:50,000 map is possible. In the map, there is only a pattern applied on the part of Islamabad but with the help of complete scenes, mapping is possible.
The title of the research indicates the basic objective, that is the urban growth monitoring in terms of the extension of the city so after calculating the area in Arc view, it came to know that the total urban area of year 1992 is 3293.041 acres and this urban area has increased to 9131.418 acres in year 2000. The number of polygons also shows that the urban colonies has exceeded from the year 1992. From the maps of year 1976 and 1982, there is no urban settlement along Islamabad highway. The results show that the urbanization is approximately 65 percent of the total area of Islamabad Highway. Hence, it can be said that the urbanization is increased 5 percent per year of the total area of Islamabad Highway, which is a very high urban growth rate (Figure 10).
Figure 10 The trend of deforestation (1972-2000)
Urbanization has impacts on environment, which may be positive and negative but unplanned urban growth always-negative effects. Environmental problems associated with urbanization tend to be similar in both developed and developing countries. In Islamabad population growth is increasing as more and more. People move from rural areas in search of jobs and better living conditions. The major impact on the environment due to urbanization along Islamabad Highway is the deforestation and loss of habitat. The area of Loi Bher Forest is gradually decreasing. Urban settlements are increasing day by day along Islamabad Highway so the construction of roads, parking lots and buildings are acting as waterproof for the surface of a city. Channeled precipitation quickly drains into nearby storm sewers away from the surface, which is reducing the moisture level; hence the temperature of Islamabad has increased. The land, however, has changed drastically from its original state. The conversion of a natural landscape to an urban area is essentially an irreversible process further urban expansion will destroy many more valuable habitats. The extremely negative effect is the loss of agricultural land. The expanding urban area is consuming agricultural land. Agriculture then develops in new areas that may not be as productive. Takht Parri forest is situated far away from the Islamabad Highway and it is also far from GT Road but the trend of urbanization is increasing towards this area, as Jeddah Town and Fatima Villa are no more far away from Takht Parri Forest.
The process of urbanization operating in the fringe has given rise to typical land use associations where the contemporary and dynamic land use pattern is developing side by side in the contemporary context, the various land uses, old villages, new residential extensions, commerce, industry, city service and farming are not nearly sorted out into homogenous areas but are intermingled in a random fashion which gives a distinctive quality to the land use pattern of rural urban fringe. The emergence of fringe zone with its complex problems of adjustments in between rural and urban ways of life has led to serious land use problems especially loss of agricultural land and unauthorized urban sprawl.
The urban rural fringe is developing along Islamabad Highway that is marked with the help of spatial analysis, buffering. The distance between the colonies and rural locations is measured with the help of measure tool in Arc View. The resultant map shows that there is a difference of the distance between the rural locations and colonies in year of 1992 and 2000. By gradual observation, it is clear that in year1976 and 1982, there were no colonies at all but in the last 80’s development was started that shows the high trend of urbanization in this area. In year 1992, Humuk which is a rural location, is merged in Model Town and after this situation, Model Town is called as Humuk Model Town. The Commoners town is 0.5 km away from Bhookar, 0.9 km away from Gangal, and 0.6 km away from Gagri. The Juditional Colony is 1.22 km away from Pagh, 1.53 km away from Farash, and 1.99 km away from Loi Bher. These distances are reduced because of the urban growth in the colonies. The situation is critical in year 2000 that Dhok Mai Nawab is meged within the urban housing scheme Bahria Town and Bhookar is merged within Bankers Town. Fatima Villa is only at a distance of 0.46 km from Takht Parri. Sher Dhamial is 0.68 km from Awan-e-Sadar housing scheme. Bankers Town is only at a distance of 0.54 km from Gangal and 0.27 km away from Gagri. It is clear from the common observation that these rural locations will be merged in the present housing schemes of the surrounding areas.
To observe the physical and financial resources in housing schemes, Bahria Town is selected to observe the land use. The GIS of Bahria Town is developed and the different colors of the land use map shows the land utilization in terms of plots, public buildings, schools, graveyards, commercial centers, green areas, and mosques. The plots are shown by yellow color, mosques by blue, reserved roads by pink, schools by purple, and green areas are shown by green color. The GIS database of Bahria Town shows the planning of the housing scheme.
The number of the plots is shown separately because of color. The locations of green areas, schools, and graveyards can be seen visually in land use map. The normal household size can be seen. Locations of schools versus plots are also shown in land use map. The GIS database of Bahria Town shows that there is no health facility in planning to facilitate the people. The results, which are obtained by GIS database, are verified by the data of Bahria Town that is obtained from the planning wing of CDA. There are three schools shown in map; the two are primary school and one is higher secondary school. The expected population size comes out to be 8,432. The urban population data of age group under 10 years, 5 years, 15 years, 18 years and above are obtained from the population census division of Islamabad. The expected percentage of primary age group population is calculated; that is 35 percent. It means only 35 percent population out of 8,432 will be eligible to join primary schools that are only two in number. This estimation indicates that only 35 percent population will be facilitated by education. Similarly, there is only one higher secondary school. The expected percentage that is calculated is 22 percent. It means only 22 percent population out of 8,432 will be facilitated by higher secondary school education.
Conclusion
The rapid growth and development of fringe rise to enduring, sensitive and at times controversial land use issues. Urbanization operating in the fringe brings a number of problems of housing, infrastructure, services and loss of agricultural land. The major problems, which are caused by urbanization, are as follows:
- Loss of prime agricultural land.
- Sub-urban sprawl.
- Population growth.
- Inadequate services.
- Substandard life style in the face of growth.
- Polluted and unhealthy environment
- Deforestation
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