Relative Entropy (RE) is defined as the measure of the degree of randomness of any geographical variable (i.e., urban growth). It is an effective indicator to evaluate the patterns of urban growth, whether compact or dispersed. In the present study, RE has been used to evaluate the urban growth of Dehradun city. Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and has undergone rapid urbanization. Landsat satellite data for the years 2000, 2010 and 2019 have been used in the study. Built-up cover outside municipal limits and within municipal limits was classified for the given time period. The road network and city center of the study area were also delineated using satellite data. RE was calculated for the periods 2000–2010 and 2010–2019 with respect to the road network and city center. High values of RE indicate higher levels of urban sprawl, whereas lower values indicate compactness. The urban growth pattern over a period of 19 years was examined with the help of RE.
Entropy-Based Approach for the Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Urban Growth Dynamics