Rajesh Nagal
Joint Director
Town and Country Planning Department
India

Biography
A keen engineer/planner with extensive experience of over 3 decades Management of Town Planning and Urban Development Projects with Directorate of Town & Country Planning, Govt of MP. Distinction of being associated with Gammon India as Engineer as well as with Municipal Corporation Bhopal as a City Planner. Master of Urban Planning from School of Planning and Architecture New Delhi in 1997, PG Diploma in Geoinformatics from Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun in 2013.

Abstract
Geospatial Analysis of Urban Landuses and Improving Public Participation in Proposed Bhopal Development Plan

Development Plan is the only legal document prepared for the purpose of planned development of cities. The document includes space requirements for various uses and allocates land for the same. It also spells out policies, guidelines as per vision, goal and objectives of the plan. The plan is based on comprehensive surveys and studies on the present status and the future growth prospects, which direct the physical development of the city. Development Plan can be seen as blue print for future development and growth of the city. Traditionally, Development Plans are being prepared in the state i.e. Madhaya Pradesh (M.P.) under the Town and Country Planning Act 1973, using outdated methods of surveying, topo sheets and drawing boards etc. Recently the Town and Country Planning Department, M.P. has taken the initiative to prepare Development Plans using satellite imagery and modern technologies like GIS, GPS etc. But this process is in initial stage and the geospatial capabilities and public participation are not being fully utilized for taking planning decisions such as allocation of land for different uses i.e. residential, commercial, industrial, public and semi public etc. Incorporation of geospatial techniques and public participation can improve the decision support system for taking planning decisions, improving contents of Development Plans and better public participation as envisaged in the Town and Country Planning Act 1973.