INTEGRATED MULTI-HAZARD ASSESSMENT AND RENEWABLE ENERGY POTENTIAL ANALYSIS FOR SMART URBAN PLANNING IN THOOTHUKUDI COASTAL CITY USING GIS AND MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS
Abstract
Coastal urban areas face increasing environmental challenges requiring integrated planning approaches that balance development needs with climate resilience. This study developed a comprehensive GIS-based framework for delineating smart planning zones by integrating multi-hazard vulnerability assessment with renewable energy potential mapping in Thoothukudi Municipal Corporation, India. The methodology employed flood vulnerability, cyclone exposure, urban heat island intensity and solar energy potential assessments for integrated smart urban planning. Analytical Hierarchy Process determined component weights with flood vulnerability (51%) and cyclone vulnerability (38%) receiving highest priority. Three hierarchical indices were developed: compound vulnerability, development opportunity and urban resilience, which were integrated to establish five smart planning zones ranging from no development to priority development categories. Results revealed that 78.88% of the study area exhibits moderate vulnerability, while preferred development zones encompass 34.63% of the region concentrated in southwestern areas with favourable elevation and solar conditions. Restricted development zones cover 32.46% of the area primarily in the central urban core and coastal industrial areas. The framework successfully identified strategic development corridors extending from high-resilience southwestern zones toward moderate-resilience areas providing evidence-based guidance for sustainable urban expansion. The integrated methodology offers a transferable approach for coastal cities to implement climate-informed planning that simultaneously addresses disaster risk reduction and sustainable development objectives. The smart planning zone framework provides municipal authorities with actionable spatial guidance for implementing adaptive management strategies and renewable energy development while maintaining environmental safety standards.
Keyword : Coastal Urban Planning, Multi-hazard Vulnerability, Smart Planning Zones, Renewable Energy Potential, Climate Resilience, Sustainable Development
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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