Air Quality Mapping and Urban Planning for Sustainable Urban Ecology: A Case Study of Chandigarh, India

Abstract

In the fast urbanizing world, it has become vital to study urban ecology so as to understand where and how anthropogenic activities impair the urban environment, including air quality; and how living conditions can be improved by urban planning without mortifying urban ecology. This may require innovative technological ideas to efficiently and judiciously utilize the limited urban space. Air quality mapping using Geographic Information System (GIS) provides one such effective tool to urban planners to identify and target specific areas for air quality management in urban setting. In the present study, the air quality mapping of a well-planned city of Chandigarh (India) with proper environmental management zoning has revealed that the air quality index (AQI) of the city falls under “Moderately Polluted (101-200)” category primarily due to annual average concentrations of (range: 44.17-68.87; overall: 56.64) and (range: 99.32-129.39; overall: 111.92) being higher than the permissible levels of 40 and 60 respectively as per Indian standards at all locations as well as for overall city. The study has identified vehicular traffic as the primary reason responsible for the moderately polluted air quality of the city that has the highest vehicle density (878 per 1,000 population) in India. The paper has also suggested measures that may be incorporated during designing and developing the physical and social infrastructures in the city so as to judiciously and efficiently utilize the limited urban space.