Land-use dynamics and built-up expansion in India: An analysis of the drivers and consequences of urban sprawl
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64171/JSRD.5.4.34-41Keywords:
Built-up land, Urban sprawl, Land use dynamics, Sustainable urban planning, Smart growthAbstract
Urban sprawl is the low-density, automobile-dependent, and other unplanned outward expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural and peri-urban land, and has become one of the most persistent features of contemporary urbanisation. This paper reviews the principal drivers and multidimensional consequences of urban sprawl in India, with a particular focus on land-use and land-cover change. The findings indicate a substantial increase in India's built-up area from 81.45 lakh hectares to 117.92 lakh hectares in 2024 -2025, representing an overall increase of 44.78%. The study further shows that sprawl is produced by an interacting set of demographics, economic, social, cultural, technological, political, institutional, and policy forces rather than by any single cause. And then the consequences extend across environmental, economic, social, and health domains. The paper concludes by discussing the policy implications of this evidence, including compact growth and smart growth strategies.
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