Integrating cellular automata and Markov techniques to generate urban development potential surface: a study on Kolkata agglomeration

Uncontrolled, yet fragmented peripheral urban expansion has emerged as a menace to urban development. To cope with this rapid urban expansion process, identification of the forces responsible for this rapid urban expansion is a pre-requisite, especially when its threats to habitability are taken into consideration. This study tries to evaluate fragmented uncontrolled urban expansion faced by Kolkata using cellular automata-Markov chain. Urban growth patterns, land use/land cover transformations and spatial allocation correspondence with planning strategy is the main theme of this study. Depending upon the driving forces, the study result indicates a bi-directional urban development potential surface, which might be a result of the biased planning initiative along with middle-class residential demand. This simulation result provides evidence for the planning authority to evaluate the effectiveness of spatial allocation and urban expansion trends and provide flexibility to modify the current allocation scenario.