Spatial and Physical Transformation of Urban Gaya: A GIS-Enabled Temporal Assessment (1961–2011)

Abstract

This study investigates the spatial and physical transformation of urban Gaya, Bihar, over a fifty-year period (1961–2011), employing Geographic Information System (GIS) tools for temporal analysis. Utilizing historical topographic maps, satellite imagery, and census data, it examines changes in urban extent, built-up areas, and land use/land cover (LULC). The findings reveal significant urban expansion into peripheral rural zones, primarily driven by demographic pressure, infrastructural growth, religious tourism, and the rise of informal settlements. This expansion often occurred at the cost of agricultural and open land, outpacing planned infrastructure development and resulting in uneven urban growth. The study emphasizes the urgent need for integrated and sustainable urban planning to ensure balanced development and mitigate environmental degradation. The outcomes provide critical insights for urban planners, policymakers, and researchers engaged in managing urban growth in similar contexts.

Introduction

Urbanization is a global process driven by economic, political, and cultural changes, involving population shifts from rural to urban areas and changes in employment from agriculture to other sectors. It reflects broader socio-economic transformations often linked with industrialization and economic growth. Cities like those in Gaya district, Bihar, demonstrate significant urban expansion influenced by population growth, tourism, and infrastructure development.

The study focuses on urbanization patterns in Gaya district’s cities from 1961 to 2011, using geospatial tools such as GIS and remote sensing to analyze land use and land cover changes. Population growth data show substantial increases in urban centers like Gaya town, Sherghati, Bodhgaya, and Tikari, driven by migration, economic opportunities, and religious tourism—particularly in Bodhgaya, a major pilgrimage site.

Urban areas have expanded physically, with Gaya town’s built-up area growing by over 64% in 50 years. Key factors include Gaya’s religious significance, strategic transport links, and its administrative role. The research highlights how urbanization in Gaya district involves demographic growth and spatial expansion, emphasizing the importance of GIS in urban planning to manage growth sustainably.

Conclusion

The data assessed for Gaya district between 1951 and 2011 provides valuable insights into the region’s infrastructural development and socio-demographic transformation, driven by a steadily growing urban population. The urban areas within the district experienced significant spatial expansion, particularly between 1961 and 2011.Gaya City, the district’s most populous urban center, expanded by 64.44%, reaching 50.17 km². Bodh Gaya, benefiting from its status as a major Buddhist pilgrimage site, grew by 78% to 19.58 km². Sherghati, strategically located near NH-19 and boosted by agricultural trade, saw the most dramatic growth of 177.37%, expanding to 10.79 km². In contrast, Tekari remained relatively small, covering just 2.66 km², reflecting its traditional and agricultural character. Overall, the total urban area in the district grew from 47.21 km² in 1961 to 83.2 km² by 2011, influenced by factors such as religious tourism, transport connectivity, and economic activity. Gaya City’s population rose sharply from 133,700 in 1951 to 475,987 in 2011, and similar trends were observed in Bodh Gaya, Sherghati, and Tekari, driven by rural-to-urban migration, employment opportunities, and tourism. This population growth catalyzed improvements in infrastructure, including road networks, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and overall living standards. However, the district also faces challenges such as unplanned urban expansion and urban sprawl. Despite these issues, there is considerable potential for implementing sustainable urban planning policies to guide future development in a balanced and inclusive manner.

References

[1] Ahmad, M., Saqib, M., Ahmad, S. N., Jamal, S., & Mir, A. Y. (2025). Normalized difference spectral indices and urban land cover as indicators of urban heat island effect: a case study of Patna Municipal Corporation. Geology, Ecology, and Landscapes, 1-21. [2] Census of India (2011). Village and Town Directory, District Census Handbook; Gaya, Series- 11, Part XII-A, Directorate of Census Operations, Bihar. Page no.- 45. [3] Chettry, V., & Surawar, M. (2021). Assessment of urban sprawl characteristics in Indian cities using remote sensing: case studies of Patna, Ranchi, and Srinagar. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(8), 11913–11935. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-01149-3. [4] Davis, K., & from his Writings, S. (2011). \" The Urbanization OfThe Human Population\" 21. The City Reader, 20. [5] Hall, P. (1974). The containment of urban England. Geographical Journal, 386-408. [6] https://pplx-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/user_uploads/69354198/7950873a-662b-44a7-a918-acae24e1cfd6/image.jpg [7] (https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov) [8] McDonnell, M. J., & Pickett, S. T. (1990). Ecosystem structure and function along urban-rural gradients: an unexploited opportunity for ecology. Ecology, 71(4), 1232-1237. [9] Swarup, S. (2019). Role Of Urban Local Bodies in Urban Environment Management: Case Study Of Waste Management of Patna. [10] Prakash, P., Swarup, S., & Kumar, R.(2022). Impacts Of Urbanization on Environment: With Special Reference To Gaya, Bihar. International Journal for Research in Engineering Application & Management (IJREAM). [11] Swarup, S.., Verma, U., & Kumar, Ravish. (2020). Implementation of new technologies in solid waste management of Patna: An appraisal of Patna municipal corporation. Pollution Research, 39(4), 1122-1130. [12] Swarup, S., Verma, U., & Kumar, R. (2024). Challenges in sustainable solid waste management in Patna: A case study of Patna Municipal Corporation. International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 33(2), 133-145. [13] Thomson, W.S. (1955). \"Urbanization\" in Encyclopedia of Social Science, Volume 15, Macmillan, p. 189. [14] Wang, R., Murayama, Y., & Morimoto, T. (2021). Scenario simulation studies of urban development using remote sensing and GIS. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 22, 100474. [15] Yadav, A., Kumar, R., & Swarup, S. (2023). Remote sensing image-based analysis of the urban heat island effect in relation to the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI): A case study of patna municipal corporation. Int. J. Res. Appl. Sci. Eng. Technol.(IJRASET), 11(1), 1143-1155. [16] Census of India (2011). Village and Town Directory, District Census Handbook; Gaya, Series- 11, Part XII-A, Directorate of Census Operations, Bihar. Page no.- 1789. [17] Bell, M., Dean, C., & Blake, M. (2000). A model for forecasting the location of fringe urbanisation with GIS and 3D visualisation. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 24(6), 559-581. [18] Bi?ozor, A., & Cie?lak, I. (2021). Review of experience in recent studies on the dynamics of land urbanisation. Land, 10(11), 1117. [19] Dubey, A.K. (2023). Detection and prediction of LULC change matrix in Gaya city using CA-Markov chain model. Transactions Institute of Indian Geographers. [20] https://www.academia.edu/110583743/Detection_and_prediction_of_LULC_change_matrix_in_Gaya_city_using_CA_Markov_chain_model?uc-sb-sw=113248882

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. Sneha Swarup, Prem Prakash. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.