Ms. Gayatri Vhanbatte will present her APS as per the details:
Date: Monday, 29th September 2025
Time: 1235 - 1335 hrs.
Venue: C-TARA Conference Room No. 1
Title: Spatio-temporal assessment of peripheral rural regions with respect to urban growth and land use change
Supervisor: Prof. Pennan Chinnasamy
RPC Members: Prof. Raaj Ramsankaran, Prof. G N Hariharan
Abstract:
Peripheral rural regions, situated at the interface of urban and rural landscapes, are experiencing rapid and often unregulated transformation due to urban growth, population pressure, and infrastructural expansion. These transitional spaces, referred to as ‘peri-urban regions’ experience rapid land transformation due to growth, demographic shifts, and infrastructural expansion. However, the fragmented, dispersed, and heterogeneous nature of peripheral rural development has often been overlooked in conventional regional studies, which primarily focus on metropolitan cores. This has created a critical gap in understanding the spatio-temporal patterns of land use change within peripheral rural contexts, as well as their implications for sustainable land management.
Researchers have primarily focused on quantification urban sprawl expansion through spatial and statistical methods but rarely translate these findings into actionable land-use management strategies. The dominance of greenfield development i.e. conversion of agricultural and ecological lands into built-up areas continues to define peripheral rural growth, while opportunities for brownfield redevelopment remain underexplored. This imbalance not only accelerates the loss of productive and ecological landscapes but also challenges the sustainability of urban and rural growth trajectories.
This study proposes a spatio-temporal assessment of peripheral rural regions with respect to urban growth and land use change using remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) as core analytical tools. The research will map, monitor, and analyze peripheral rural dynamics over defined time periods, capturing patterns of growth, density, and land-use transitions. Beyond documenting change, study seeks to integrate these spatial insights with land use management frameworks, particularly focusing on potential of planning tools viz., town planning schemes (TPS), land pooling, and redevelopment mechanisms as strategies to manage peripheral rural expansion sustainably.
This research aims to provide a decision support system (DSS) for balancing greenfield and brownfield development, conserving agricultural and ecological assets, and promoting sustainable rural growth. The outcomes will give an understanding of peri urbanization; policy and planning practices in rapidly urbanizing contexts such as India, where peripheral rural areas are emerging as critical frontiers of urban transformation.