Spatial Database for Spatial Planning – Introducing GIS based E- Plan to Local Authorities

Case study for Dehiwela Mt. Lavinia MC Area

Pushpa Gamage, Deputy Director (IM& GIS)

Urban Development Authority

“Sethsiripaya” Battaramulla, Sri Lanka

E-mail: pushpa@uda.lk

Abstract

The Information System & GIS Division of the Urban Development Authority has introduced a new concept in the field of GIS based Spatial Planning to its declared Urban Local Authorities, called as E – Plan concept. The main objective of this program is to create and develop an Integrated Geo-Information System to all Urban Local Authorities of Sri Lanka. It will include a digital spatial database and a spatial Information System for their customers as well as stake holders by using GIS, GPS & RS Technology.

The necessary base maps and data layers for this purpose have been prepared by interpreting aerial photographs, chain survey sheets, topographic maps and available digital data, which have been updated with the help of latest available high resolution IKONOS satellite data. Extensive field work conducted to incorporate information regarding detailed urban land use pattern, along with current available amenities and facilities. Thus detail information on Administrative Boundaries, Usage of Buildings, Physical Infrastructures, Road Network and Social Infrastructures have been depicted in terms of MC Boundary and even Ward Boundary. Altogether there would be more than 75 data layers at different scales and apart from that other information were in literature form.

The customized prototype GIS applications were prepared for non-GIS users, especially for Local Authority Staff, General Public and introduced an automated system for Building Planning Approval Process. The new Relational Database Management System was established and parameters for quality checking were introduced. The entire project has been executed by using GIS package. Finally, this system will offer many day-to-day advantages by providing strategically information. Linking information to its location enables Local Authority managers to understand the characteristics of their communities, such as Land use and proposed land uses, special project areas and planning regulations, as well as the smallest details such as the exact location of a manhole, electricity poles and garbage collection places etc. Less paper work, able to arriving alternative solutions by changing various scenarios, automation routing work of the Local Authority, able to produce quality maps, user-friendly interfaces for adding and updating data, possibility of retrieving and sharing data, help to reduce time of processing of development planning applications are some of advantages achieved by this system.

The implementation of such system depends on the commitment of the Management of the Council. If Council could realized the value of spatial information system it will long last, otherwise it may be wastage to the Local Authority.

Introduction

Local Authorities are the smallest political and administrative unit in Sri Lanka which acts as a physical and social infrastructure provider to the people who lived within its limits. Its functions and responsibilities have direct impact to the general public and the interaction with the public much higher than the other government institutions. Therefore Local Authority has a legitimate power and social responsibility to create a good and sustainable living environment to the people. Local Authorities have categorized as Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Saba based on its urban sprawl. There are 18 nos. of MCs, 42 nos. of UCs, and 270 nos. of Pradeshiya Saba are functioning in Sri Lanka.

Local Authorities are given legal status and power to manage their administration without any interference from any administrative authority. They are to provide services to their people, which are variety in nature. It may be associated with sanctioning building plan, assessment of value of property and estimation of tax thereon, issuing of trade licenses for running various establishments, maintaining parks, etc. As a result, each Local Authority is to handle huge amount of data set for running their administration efficiently. In case of a municipality, the information needs to be kept at fingertips and also require regular updating. Moreover, availability of different urban services needs to be presented in such a way that the user may visualize the same at ease. When rendering continuous service to the public, Local Authorities have faced a huge challenge, how to do this efficiently and impartially. Normally General Public expects more and more facilities, but Local Authorities expect more and more revenue. So how does this expectations compromise each other? We can solve this problem in a word, that is “Technology”, and more especially, by implementing a “Local Authority GIS”. Here lies the importance of Geographical Information System (GIS), which performs processes or tasks including input, storage, retrieval, manipulation, management, query / analysis, visualization, etc. of data base.

How do we do this?E – Planning Concept

E - Planning concept has been introduced by the GIS Division of the Urban Development Authority to the Local Authorities to create a sound database and to reach rational decision on their development activities. E- Plan is a computer based information system which enables both city planners and non-planners to carry out their functions smoothly and efficiently. There are many tasks in Local Authorities that have very close relationship with the General Public. Building Approval Process is one of the main functions which have heavily interaction with people. The other functions are collecting rates, maintaining local roads, preventing epidemics, distributing health facilities and medicine, facilitating vendors, constructing local projects, collecting garbage and disposal, cleaning the city, helping poor communities and supporting national projects carried out by the State. In all those tasks, involvement of data and information is very much higher. E – Plan tries to easier those tasks by preventing duplicating activities and integrating all information in one system that can use again and again, number of times & number of people in various Departments simultaneously.

Why do we introduce an E – Plan?

The main objective of an E – Plan is to minimize delays in routing Planning & non-Planning functions of the Local Authorities and improve efficiency in decision making.

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We have now faced technological era, if we do not react it, we will lose.

Benefits of an E - Plan

Local Authorities collect enormous amount of geographical data/ information daily – everything from emergency service calls to building permits and much more. But at last what happen? The information is collected – end of the story. But the information holds the potential to help the Local Authority to do many things. How do we use this information to achieve the objectives and goals of the Local Authority? The E – Plan will give the answer for it.

a. It allows departments to assist each other in their service provision such as Planning Department can assess urban growth pattern, occupancy types and usage, traffic pattern, land use changes, monitoring of projects, roads maintaining, distribution of physical & social infrastructures, collection of garbage and its disposals, Administration Department can evaluate allocation of human resources, their movement and voters registration, Health Department can calculate spreading of epidemics and other health facilities, Fire Department can route emergency vehicles responding to calls, Finance Department can keep a record of their fixed and current assets and its moment, Revenue Department can keep record of income and expenditure, etc.

b. It facilitates sharing data with other Institutions.

c. It helps to produce a master overview of what is happening where and when within the city regarding infrastructure improvements.

d. It helps to prepare maps in various scales, ability to customize development Plan approval Process.

e. It allows monitoring progress of all projects and process.

f. It facilitates to keep up to date data & information.

g. It enhance knowledge in using new technologies for their activities,

h. It adds value for the existing resources or data,

i. It helps to automate day to day routing work, and helps to disseminate value added data to the general public,

j. It acts as a base and guide for future application development,

k. Can join with global GIS community via web application services, and

l. It helps to enhance customer satisfaction by providing efficient service.

Case Study

The first MC E – Plan was prepared for Dehiwela Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council Area. It was handed over to the Local Authority and data entering is now commenced. The goal was to create an integrated information system using GIS and GPS is to provide the Municipality with the necessary

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tools to develop a comprehensive and appropriate framework to guide the planning and development of the City.

Overview of DMMC Area

The Dehiwala Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council (DMMC) area is the second largest urban area of the Western Province of Sri Lanka. It is located on the boundary of the Colombo District in the East and between E longitudes of 77.50 –79.55 and N latitudes of 6.45 and 6.88. The DMMC Authority area constitutes of the Dehiwala Mt. Lavinia and Ratmalana two electoral constituencies, the boundaries are Colombo Municipal Council area in the North, Kotte Municipal Council area and Maharagama Urban council area in the North East/ Kesbewa Pradeshiya Sabha area in the South East, Moratuwa Municipal area in the South and the ocean in the West.

The topography of the area is between 00- 20 meters from sea level and In between the natural water springs and environmentally important swamps are located. There are artificial canals constructed in Dutch period and had used for their battles. The annual rainfall is 5000 ml. and temperature is between 28 – 30 degrees Celsius.

The Dehiwala Mt.Lavinia Municipal Council area consists of 29 wards with an extent of 2106.5 hectares and a population of 210,546 in 2001. It is expected to be increased up to 264,105 by 2020. This MC area was attracted by many property developers heavily since it has natural environmental resources and good physical infrastructures.

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Methodology

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Data Collection, Database Design & Prototype Application Development

(Data Sources, Design format and Define software)

(Statement of Objectives, process and Implementation

Application Development

(Phase 1, one ward selected as a Pilot project)

)

Application Development

(Phase 11, Replication of Pilot Project to the rest of wards)

Implementation of E - Plan

Defining an E- Plan

(Statement of Objectives, process and Implementation Method)

Spatial Data

Base Maps, Boundary Maps, Images and other data layers

Non-Spatial Data,

Socio – Economic Data, Local Area Reports

Data Collection, Database Design & Development

The DMMC area consists of 29 wards. The base map for the entire area was prepared by using 1:1000 scales Micro station (.dgn) digital maps from the Survey Department. The building layer, road layer and water layer were extracted separately and converted into vector data layers for the purpose of field data collection. Extensive field survey was done to collect usage of buildings, developable lands, road network, names and other spatial data. The location of manholes, electricity and telecom post was collected by using GPS technology. The collected data was inserted into a database by using forms based on Visual Basic and stored in a MS Access database. The ESRI database design procedure was taken as a guide when developing the database for the E – Plan.

The thematic data layers were created by using Arcview 3.2a and ArcGis9. The spatial data and non-spatial data were linked by using SQL connection. Avenue scripts were used to customize spatial database and SQL was used for querying the database.

The interface of DMMC E – Plan and Access database are indicated above and below.

The relational database management system was introduced to keep the data consistency and integrity purposes.

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The field data were entered by using forms and store in the main database.

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Galle Road

Hill Stree

Fair Line Road

Inner Fair line Road Malwaththa Road

Senanayaka Road

Senanayaka Road

Senanayaka Road

Fair Line Road

School Avenue

Ediriweera MawathaKaldera Road

Subhadrarama Road

Sagarika Gomas Road

School Mawatha

Rodrigo Avenue

Gregory Road

P. T. D Silva Avenue

Hiil House Garden

Boteju Road

Railway Station Road

Private Road

Presbitirian Church

Presbitierian Girl's School

Suboda Balika vidayalaya

Dehiwala Post Office

BOC Dehiwela

People Bank

HNB

YMC Hostel

Pilot Project – Ward No.13 has been selected as a pilot project area of this plan. The Ward Map of the area was prepared and all data related to the wards collected and stored in a relational database.

Ward Map Usage of Buildings in Ward No.13

High-tension Electricity Network

Telecom Network

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NWSDB

The Salvation Army

L.H.P.Building

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People Bank

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Presbitierian Girl's School

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NWSDB

The Salvation Army

L.H.P.Building

YMC Hostel BOC

People Bank

HNB

Mal Watta Abaya Sela Chethiyaramaya

Presbitierian Girl's School

Cabinet Boundary

Cabinet

Cabinet Boundary

Cabinet Boundary

Sewerage Network

The Customized Menus were introduced for easy usage of software and easy retrieving data in particular ward.

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Customized Menus

Application Development

The following prototype applications were developed under this E – Plan.

1. To find out best location for various development by changing criterion,

2. To monitor infrastructure failures,

3. To find out growth pattern of the population, densities etc.

4. Monitoring Land use changes,

5. Building Planning Approval System and

6. Monitoring of Change of use of Buildings.

The special application was introduced to view the Zoning Regulations which was imposed within the MC area. All zoning regulations were stored in MS Access database and finally it was linked to the Zoning Plan to get rid of barriers of Building Planning Approval Process. It helps to Planning staff and technical officers to identify the exact zoning for the particular building and they can give approval then and there without having any field inspections.

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Customized Menus

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Conclusion

1. The activities of the Local Authority will be drastically changed with the introduction of the E – Plan resulting speed up Development Planning Process, enhance knowledge in the area of GIS technology and its capabilities, progress of dissemination of information to General Public and reawakening of the staff in their work,

2. This new tool will transform the attitude of Councilors, officers and general public as well, since it has multifaceted user friendly methods and tools for different levels of users and stakeholders,

3. The physical appearance and the current setup of the Local Authority will also be structurally changed to accommodate the new system.

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References

1. Chris Lester, & Mohsen Kalantari, Victoria’s ePlan initiative Presentation, Surveying & Spatial Information Victoria 2008 Summit, Australia

2. Dr. Asit Kumar Sarkar, 2005, Municipal GIS; “An experience for Kolkata Municipal Corporation”.

3. Karen Lauritsen, M Sc., Municipal GIS Implementation Planning and Strategies: Evidence from North American Case Studies, www.gpgis.com

4. Korte, G B, 2001, The GIS Book, how to Implement, Manage and Access the Value of Geographic Information System, On Word Press, 5th Edition, pp216.

5. Subash s. & Arjun Padaki, 2001, Enterprise GIS for Municipalities, An Integrated Approach.

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