Spatiotemporal Land Use Patterns of an Unplanned Metropolitan Region: An Urban Density Based Approach

Unplanned and rapid urban growth in developing countries significantly deters effective planning. The absence of timely updated data and suitable tools to monitor urban growth adds to the menace of poor planning. Thus, the present study uses neighbourhood densities to compare the spatiotemporal patterns of seventeen urban local bodies of India's fast-growing Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Landsat satellite images for two decades (1999–2019) are classified, and land use/cover maps are prepared. A walkable neighbourhood of 1 sq. km is then used to determine landscape typologies. While the high-density built-up areas help identify urban cores, the low- and medium-density built-up areas help extract the ribbon development. Also, the developable lands help determine the growth mode. The results show that between 1999–2019, the built-up and vegetation increased by 89.44% and 20%, while the wetlands, waterbodies and other land declined by 13.5%, 8.5% and 16%. The urban cores analysis reveals a balanced development between 1999–2009, with both primary and secondary cores flourishing, whereas a diffusion pattern is observed between 2009–2019, with the secondary cores growing much faster than the primary core. Although the ribbon development is reduced in major urban centers due to densification, an increase is observed in the suburban fringes, mainly along the major highways. The growth typologies reveal edge expansion as the dominant growth mode, followed by infilling and leapfrog. The directional analysis shows a positive influence of road densities on urban growth. The study helps determine important aspects of urban growth that are essential for planners to ensure sustainable development.