In the heart of India’s rapid urbanization, a groundbreaking study led by T. A. Deshmukh from the Central University of Karnataka’s Department of Geography is reshaping how we understand and plan for the future of our cities. Published in the ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences (which translates to the Annals of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences), this research offers a dual-resolution geospatial framework that could revolutionize urban planning and infrastructure development, particularly in the energy sector.
Deshmukh and his team have uncovered startling insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban expansion across India’s Tier-I urban growth centers, using a combination of MODIS MCD12Q1 (500 m) and GLC_FCS30D (30 m) data. “We’ve seen a steady increase in built-up areas, often exceeding 30–80% growth across key urban centers,” Deshmukh explains. “Croplands are the primary land category being converted into urban use, followed by losses in grasslands and shrublands.”
The study’s high-resolution assessment of the Hyderabad metropolitan region revealed the limitations of coarse-resolution datasets in detecting fragmented growth and peri-urban development. “The high-resolution GLC_FCS30D data enabled us to map edge expansion, spatial fragmentation, and heterogeneous growth morphology with unprecedented detail,” Deshmukh adds.
So, what does this mean for the energy sector? As cities expand, so does the demand for energy infrastructure. Understanding the patterns of urban growth is crucial for planning and developing sustainable energy solutions. “This research provides a comprehensive understanding of urban land changes, combining long-term trend detection with local-level spatial clarity,” Deshmukh notes. “It underscores the importance of resolution-aware methods in urban monitoring and supports evidence-based decision-making in sustainable urban planning, infrastructure development, and land governance.”
The integration of both datasets in this study offers a scalable geospatial strategy that could address the challenges of rapid urbanization, not just in India but in developing countries worldwide. “Our approach facilitates a comprehensive understanding of urban land changes, combining long-term trend detection with local-level spatial clarity,” Deshmukh explains.
As we look to the future, this research could shape the development of smart cities, where energy infrastructure is seamlessly integrated into urban planning. It could also inform policies aimed at sustainable land use and conservation, ensuring that urban expansion does not come at the cost of our natural resources.
In the words of Deshmukh, “This work develops a unified, dual-resolution LULC analysis framework with pixel-level transition tracking that enables cross-scale insights into urban expansion patterns in India.” And with these insights, we can pave the way for a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.