Detecting Land-Use Changes in Greater Kandy Development Area

As urban growth became a threat to Kandy city, the Urban Development Authority (UDA) has introduced a new concept called the “Greater Kandy Development Area (GKDA)” to control and manage the rapid urban growth, as well as to minimize its’ impacts towards the environment. This study examines the land use/ land cover changes in GKDA, in selected time periods using GIS and Remote Sensing techniques. Findings demonstrate that dynamic patterns of urban expansion cause progressive growth in built-ups and lowering in non-built-ups. In 2005, there were only 16.9 percent of built-up areas in GKDA but, it has increased up to 40 percent in 2020. 81.7 percent of non-built-up areas in 2005, has reduced up to 58.8 percent. As population growth happened inside the city limits, land use changes also happened within. These changes create clustered as well as sprawl development patterns.