Urban change detection and land-use mapping of Delhi

Today urban change detection is considered vital for monitoring the growth of an urban complex. Such a change detection system must essentially make use of the data available from conventional sources as well as that derived through remote sensing. In this study, which was conducted as an end-to-end experiment under the National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS) programme in India, an attempt was made to utilize this concept in monitoring the changes in Delhi, the capital city of India, during the period 1959-1980. The analysis was undertaken mainly on the basis of the data available in guide maps. The utility of aerial photography and LANDSAT imageries for such studies was evaluated. A simple digital urban information system was also developed.