Ecological Questions 34(2023)2 http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/EQ.2023.

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Land-Use/Land Cover Analysis Through Object Based Technique: A Case

Study of Shahrah-e-Faisal

Anila Kausar1*, Ambreen Afzal2, Ghuffran Saeed1, Asad Maqsoom1, Owais Iqbal Khan3,
Sheeba Afsar1, Yasmeen Anis1, Syeda Marium Zehra1, Viola Vambol4,5*, Sergij Vambol6,
Yuliia Kravchenko7
1
Department of Geography, University of Karachi, Pakistan
2
National Institute of Maritime Affairs, Bahria University Karachi Campus, 75260 Pakistan
3
Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan
4
Department of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin,
Poland
5
Department of Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences, National University “Yuri Kondratyuk
Poltava Polytechnic”, Poltava, Ukraine
6
Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety, National Technical University Kharkiv
Polytechnic Institute, Kharkiv, Ukraine
7
Department of Public Administration in the Sphere of Civil Protection, Institute of Public Administration
and Research in Civil Protection, Kiev, Ukraine

*Corresponding author e-mail: Viola Vambol (V.V.), [email protected]

Anila Kausar (A.K), [email protected]

Received: 13 December 2022 / Accepted: 1 February 2023

Abstract. Karachi is the major financial hub of Pakistan. The urban sprawl generates many sub
financial hubs as well e.g. Saddar which is consider as CBD of metropolitan, specifically area
along I.I. Chundrigar road is almost have offices and business set-up. The similar pattern has
been emerged in many other places e.g. Shahrah-e-Faisal and Tariq road. Along all three major
roads mixed-used development particularly commercialization has taken place prominently and
these sectors emerged as main business Centre. The present study was aimed to assess the Land-
Use/Land Cover (LU/LC), green cover and air quality index analysis through object based
analysis on very high-resolution satellite imagery at Shahrah-e-Faisal. The obtained results
showed that the combine three activities such as Shopping, Business and Trade (SBT), Social,
Institutional and Infrastructure related activities (SII), and travel or movement (ToM) were
occupied on 51.34% of land. The residential activities also make an attractive volume of
proportion was up to 47.11%. Therefore, it can be the perfect example of smart growth if
introduction greenways initiate more effectively along with some attraction spots for Leisure.

Key words: Mixed-Used Development, Business Centre, Land-Use/Land Cover, Object Based
Analysis, Smart City Growth, Greenways.

1. Introduction
The growing urbanization trend over the eras has caused in the rapid transformation of Land-Use
and Land Cover (LU/LC) patterns global (Krishnan & Firoz, 2021). Land-Use Land Cover
Change (LU/LCC) is the change of the Earth’s surface by human being (Alsharif et al., 2022).
LU/LCC is one of the prime suppliers of greenhouse gas frameworks subsequent from straight
human use of lands for viable uses, settlements, and forestry activities (Kim & Kirschbaum,
2015). According to the census 2017, the metropolitan city of Karachi is the residence of
16,051,521 (Sohoo et al., 2021). Karachi is considering as a revenue-generating hub,
significantly subsidizes wealth at provincial, and ultimately on national level according to
Karachi Master Plan 2007 and 2020. The built-up area of Karachi metropolitan comprises 1,300
km2. In year 2013, the urban extent of Karachi was 45,327 hectares. By the year 2020
Metropolitan’s average growth rate was about 2.27% (Nizamani, 2020). By assumed estimates,
Karachi was grown 523.1 km2 in 2020 and 543 km2 in 2022. Being growing too fast Karachi is
serving not only urban and sub urban neighborhood but also serves province and country as well.
Being highest spatially interacted metropolitan Karachi has multiple Business sectors including
Central Business District i.e. Saddar (Kausar et al., 2022), shopping business and trade activities
along Tariq Road, and Shahrah-e- Faisal. Worldwide in developed cities planning strategies for
the smart growth have been adapted. if the region is well connected with the neighborhood it
means the region is smartly growing. Smart growth is important and modern planning strategy.
This strategy emphasized on transit orient designs, walkable distances friendly designs with
mixed land-use development etc. (Shrivastava & Sharma, 2012). This strategy gives a lift to its
neighborhood regions as well. Housing choices will increase to citizens and new business set up
may enhanced. There is a substantial gain in acceptance in contemporary mixed-used
development concept (Tilley, 2016). Mixed-used development is more ecologically approachable
and economically effective development instead of single-use properties (Rabianski et al., 2009).
Existing research also find a presence of mixed-used development in study area.
With the development along the Shahrah-e-Faisal the risk of air pollution is getting worse, which
ultimately effects on the quality of air. Air quality can assess through the Air Quality meter.
According to US EPA standards 2016, the air quality meter worked on the criteria in which AQI
values divided into six classes i.e., 1-50, 51-100, 101-150, 151-200, 201-300, and 301-500.
These classes are categorized and demonstrated by specific color i.e. Good (Green), Moderate
(Yellow), Unhealthy for sensitive group (Orange), Unhealthy (Red), Very unhealthy (Purple),
and Hazardous (Maroon) respectively (EPA, 2022). In the former studies, Ban et al. (2010)
performed the Quickbird multi-spectral data, multi-temporal RADARSAT Fine-Beam C-HH

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synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data and fusion of Quickbird MS and RADARSAT SAR for
urban LU/LC mapping. Hu and Ban (2008) investigated the potential of high-resolution SAR
data for urban LU/LC mapping by assimilating support vector machines (SVMs) into object-
based analysis. Tehrany et al. (2014) examined the comparison between object and pixel-based
classification methods for LU/LC mapping via SPOT 5 imagery. Recently, Alsharif et al. (2022)
reported that the LU/LCC and urban growth prediction and analysis methods that can help in
decision-makers for better sustainable management and planning of socioeconomic development
in the states. This research work may provide innovative and creative in the study area regarding
analysis of LU/LC and assessment of air quality of study area. The main objectives of study were
a) to identify LU/LC of Shahrah-e-Faisal through object based Analysis and Classify land-use on
LBC’s (land based classification) format, 2) assessment and relationship of Green Cover of AOI
(Area of Interest), and 3) examine Air Quality Index along the study area.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Study Area
The existing research was based on LU/LC Analysis buffer area of 200 meters along both sides
of Shahrah-e-Faisal. Shahrah e Faisal is major road of Karachi connecting more than ten major
and many minor roads. The total length of Shahrah-e-Faisal is 18 km (11mile). It connects with
Saddar that is the historical and financial hub through ages (Fig. 1).

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 Figure 1. Study Area: Shahrah-e- Faisal: Karachi Metropolitan.

2.2 Study Plan

In the present work, the methodological framework is mentioned in Figure 2, which comprises
material and methods adapted during research. The object-based analysis have been conducted
on very high-resolution SAS Planet image, which was about 0.07 m/pixel. The objects were
identified visually (manually), later digitized on the R.F. of 1:25-1:500 and then geo-coded
through the information extracting from open domains e.g. GoogleEarth, Wikimapia and Google
maps. Objects those cannot be confirmed/identified; they later documented through field
surveying. Air Quality Index (AQI) PM2.5 have been examined for the 13 spots of study area
i.e., Shahrah-e-Faisal through the instrument UNI T UT338C air quality meter. It is the 20 days
average on Roads Intersection (nodes) along Shahrah-e-Faisal for the month of November 1-20,
2022. Interpolation on IDW method through the ArcGIS have been adapted for generalization.

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 Figure 2. Methodological Framework for LU/LC.

3. Results and Discussions

3.1. Land-Use/Land Cover Analysis
LU/LC analysis on the procedure of object based analysis has been conducted on Shahrah-e-
Faisal and most of the remarkable fact found there is no industrial, manufacturing and waste
related activity along the 400 meter (200 meter on each side) range. Which is in fact a good sign
of development (Table 1 and Fig. 3). Total 5,075,838 m2 area have been assess excluding roads
coverages. Approximately, 10.04% land was occupied by Shopping, Business and Trade (SBT)
activities (Table 1). Moreover, 22.4% land was occupied by Social, Institutional and
Infrastructure (SII) base activities (Table 1). Travel or movement (ToM) activities occupied
distributed on 19% of land across the major road (Table 1). Three activities (SBT, SII and ToM)
collectively occupied on 51.34% of land. Residential activities also make an attractive volume of
proportion i.e. 47.11% (Table 1). Residential activities along with Shopping, Business and Trade,

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Social, Institutional and Infrastructure and Travel or movement fit on the definition of smart
growth and best Transit orient design (TOD) i.e. Shahrah-e-Faisal connected almost all major
and minor roads derives from almost entire Karachi metropolis and from even sub-urban zones
Figure 4a,b and Figure 5. Mass assembly of people (MAP), Leisure Activities (LA), and natural
resources related activities are very less in present area of interest i.e. 1.57%. Many reasons can
might be possible for such percentage and the prime most is high land value in real estate
business (Table 1). Hu and Ban (2008) revealed that the method could achieve a high accuracy
for the classification of high-resolution SAR images over urban areas. Tehrany et al. (2014)
suggested to test on very high resolution (VHR) data such as SPOT 5 image especially in built-
up area where more and varied classes can be generated.

Table 1. Land-Use/Land Cover Analysis.

Percentage
S. No. Activity Type Area (m2) (%)
1 Residential activities 2,391,184 47.109
2 Sopping, Business or Trade activities 509,718 10.042
Industrial, Manufacturing and waste related
3 activities 0 0.000
Social, Institutional or infrastructure related
4 activities 1,136,052 22.381
5 Travel or Movement activities 959,169 18.897
6 Mass Assembly of people 64,556 1.272
7 Leisure activities 13,589 0.268
8 Natural Resources related activities 1,563 0.031
No Human activity or Unclassifiable
9 activities 7 0.000
TOTAL 5,075,838 100.000

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Figure 3. LU/LC mapping along Shahrah-e-Faisal.

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Figure 4a. Connectivity of Shahrah-e-Faisal with Major Road.

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Figure 4b. Connectivity of Shahrah-e-Faisal with Minor Roads.

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 Figure 5. Green Cover of Shahrah-e-Faisal.

In present study Green Cover in study area is comprises approximately 1,804,310 m2. Green
Cover further sub divided into six classes i.e. Bush Land, Community Gardens, Private Gardens,
Parks, Green Ways and Habitat Corridors i.e. the covered area estimated 30.040%, 6.072%,
32.635%, 0.475%, 27.145% and 3.633% respectively (Table 2). In present study, the total
LU/LC which was observed by 6,880,148 m2 area (Table 1 and 2). In which LU/LC (Table 1)
excluding green cover contributes 5,075,838 m2, which is about 73.77% while green cover
contributes 1,804,310 m2 which is around 26.22 % (Table 2). Shrahily et al. (2022) conducted a
study in the Al-Khobar region (Saudi Arabia) using Landsat databases, as a result the built-up
areas enlarged by 117% and 43.51% among 1990–2001 and 2001–2013 respectively.

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 Table 2. Green Cover Type of AOI.
S. No. Green cover Type Area (m2) Percentage (%)
1 Bush Land 542,020 30.040
2 Community Gardens 109,561 6.072
3 Private Garden 588,843 32.635
4 Parks 8,562 0.475
5 Green Ways 489,777 27.145
6 Habitat Corridors 65,547 3.633
TOTAL 1,804,310 100.000

3.2 Air Quality Index

Green cover is an important planning strategy of recent era and importance of green cover can
easily be evaluated through the condition of Air Quality of study area. For this on Shahrah-e-
Faisal we selected some spots on where measurement of Air Quality Index will be conducted.
Spots which were selected are those where different major roads intersect or connect or created
node on Shahrah e Faisal (Fig. 4a,b). These spots are as follows (Table 3,4). Krishnan and Firoz
(2021) stated that the LU/LC analysis exposed a rise in the settlement over the past two eras.

Table 3. 20 days’ average of Air Quality Index (pm 2.5) on Roads Intersection (nodes) along
Shahrah-e-Faisal for the month of November 1-20, 2022.
S.No. Map Coding Locations 12am 4am 8am 12pm 4pm 8pm
1 12 N5 10 12 65 178 287 134
2 7 FTC Flyover 20 10 74 201 300 153
3 11 Jinnah International Terminal 45 13 99 185 315 110
4 4 Karsaz Flyover and Road 34 17 97 200 250 137
5 10 PAF Base Flyover 52 6 83 245 274 161
6 3 Rashid Minhas Road 10 5 82 184 200 158
7 8 Regent Plaza Flyover 40 9 45 192 214 109
8 1 Shah Faisal Bridge 36 10 50 137 269 151
9 5 Shaheed e Millat Road and Flyover 25 16 102 241 302 130
10 6 Shahrah e Quaideen Road and Flyover 20 5 85 204 198 110
11 0 Star Gate 56 10 114 169 149 154
12 9 Tipu Sultan Road 40 14 64 100 286 116
13 2 University Avenue 25 13 81 185 200 100

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 Table 4. Air quality index scale and color legends.
AQI Range Color Air Pollution Level Cautionary Statement (For PM 2.5)
1-50 Good None
51-100 Moderate Harmful for Sensitive People
101-150 Un Healthy for Sensitive Group Harmful for Sensitive People
151-200 Un Healthy Not good for everyone
201-300 Very Un Healthy Not good for everyone
301-500 Hazardous Health Alert. Avoid outdoor Activity

Through the interpolation techniques, 13 spots were examined for assessing air quality index
(AQI) pm 2.5. Six different timings with the interval of 4 hours have been selected i.e. 8am,
12pm, 4pm, 8pm, 12pm and 4am. The best Air quality have been recorded on all spots at 4am
morning. Minimum AQI i.e. 5,5 are recorded Shahrah-e-Quaideen node and Rashid Minhas node
followed by PAF Base Flyover node i.e. 6 (Fig. 6, Table 3,4). These all nodes have large green
cover areas in the surroundings. In case of less or absence of traffic on Shahrah-e-Faisal AQI of
study area become innocuous. After 4am, at morning 8am; AQI reading have been enhanced and
highest reading have been recorded at Star Gate, followed by Shaheed e Millat nodes (Fig. 6 and
Table 3). It clearly reflects these nodes have heavy traffic on the routes on which these nodes
exist. High AQI readings have been started to record at 12pm and it becomes at its highest
around 4pm an evening time (Fig. 6). The highest peak of AQI vulnerable reading is 315 near
Jinnah International Terminal node i.e. 315 the second highest vulnerable peak have been
recorded at FTC node. It is therefore a dire need of introducing more trees near Jinnah
International Terminal node as well as FTC node to improve air quality. Over all maximum
vulnerable situation on nearly all over the Shahrah-e-Faisal have been recorded at 4pm (Fig. 6
and Table 3). Xian (2007) examined the multi-year data from local air monitoring stations during
May and June timeframe, the results revealed that the minimum concentrations generally occur
from November to February, but the fine particulate matter maximum was occurs in the month of
July.

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 Figure 6. Air Quality pm 2.5 of selected spots on different timings.

4. Conclusion
This research has attempted to demonstrate the mixed- used development of residential,
shopping, business and trade, social, institutional and infrastructure and travel or movement
reflects the pattern of smart growth along with an efficient Transit orient design (TOD) i.e.
Shahrah e Faisal connected with almost all major and minor roads within metropolis and its exit
routes. The aggregate LU/LC of study area, which was under assessment cover 6,880,148 m2
area i.e. 73.77% while green cover area was calculated an approximately 1,804,310 m2 of area
i.e. 26.22%. Air Quality is vulnerable in rush hours i.e. 12 pm to 4 pm while at 8pm and onward
the situation become regularized. Over all in rush hours, AQI pm 2.5 increased at rapid rate.
Such case reflects Shahrah-e-Faisal required more greenways (greenbelts) within the Shahrah-e-
Faisal.
Suggestion and future perspectives. Mixed-used development is a positive sign of
development. All over the world, developed cities are associated with smart implication of
planning strategies. This intact city growth and lead to reduce urban sprawl. Shahrah-e-Faisal is
well connected with the rest of the metropolitan, and there is a project of Red Line Bus Rapid
Transport (BRT), in which the route 1 is operation, which connected the Shahrah-e-Faisal at the
node of Malir Halt. It is the best way of introducing transit orient design in already developed

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infrastructure. Land-use along the Shahrah-e-Faisal can be more commercialized due to its
higher connectivity of major, minor routes/roads and BRT. Green cover area is not sufficient
along the road, which may causing health issues as well. For this auxiliary Green cover should be
introduce along the roads. Cutting of already, existing trees should be prohibited.

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