TITLE:
Land Use Management and Urban Land Expansion in Kabul: A Case Study of Rapid Urbanization
AUTHORS:
Osama Hidayat, Yoshitaka Kajita
KEYWORDS:
Urban Land Expansion, Urbanization, Land Use Management, Sustainable Development
JOURNAL NAME:
Current Urban Studies,
Vol.7 No.2,
June
17,
2019
ABSTRACT: As a response to the challenge of rapid growth of urbanization and lack
of reliable data for urban planning and management, especially in the
developing countries, this paper evaluates land use change and urban spatial
expansion, from 1970’s to 2018, in Kabul city, the
capital of Afghanistan, using satellite images, field observation and
socioeconomic data. The city is highly representative of Afghanistan’s rapid
urbanization process. As the city rapidly expands, there are enormous
challenges to the sustainable use of land and resources. The discussion covers
the increase in rural-to-urban land conversion, the delineation of urban growth
boundaries, urban upgrading, and the investigation of illegal construction.
This study considers the aspects of urbanization and land management systems in
Afghanistan. Efficient frames are outlined in Kabul for the following elements:
governmental self-restraint and policy modification. The results indicated the
necessity of appropriate policies and regulations particularly for limiting
linear sprawl along the main roads. The conclusion seeks to synthesize land-use
interventions into an agenda for Kabul’s sustainable development which can also
provide a reference for other cities in Afghanistan.