EXPANSION OF BUILT UP AREA AND ITS IMPACT ON URBAN AGRICULTURE: A CASE STUDY OF PESHAWAR-PAKISTAN
Loading...
Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
INSTITUTE OF GEOGRAPHY URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING
Abstract
This dissertation traces the spatial growth of Peshawar City District and its impact on
urban agriculture. Peshawar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one of the major
cities of Pakistan. Data and information for the study was collected from historic maps,
satellite images, documents, government offices (mostly from revenue record), private
stake holders like real estate agents and farmers. The analysis shows that the city has
been growing at a very rapid pace in recent years and in the absence of planning control
has seen tremendous urban sprawl. The urban sprawl first set its foot in 1960s along the
major roads radiating out of the city and cantonment. It then started expanding in a
leapfrog fashion encroaching upon agricultural lands in the fringe with minimum of
facilities and all the harmful environmental and social consequences. The haphazard
growth often resulted in the development of slums or undesirable residential areas with
lack of services and amenities, piecemeal commercial development, and intermix of
conforming and non-conforming land uses.
The pattern of development of urban sprawl in Peshawar is typical of most Pakistani
major cities, where ribbon sprawl is common along major roads, while leapfrog sprawl is
prevalent in the city’s fringes. The sprawl is consuming rich agricultural land and poses a
threat to food security. The study highlights the causes of urban sprawl, analyzes land use
dynamics and discusses some of the strategic and policy options that are available to
control proliferation of sprawl and promote sustainable development of land use in the
city.