APPLICATION OF GIS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

                                                           Dr. V. Raghavswamy

Infrastructure development is an essential prerequisite for sustained and accelerated economic development of any country. The minimum basic infrastructure needs of the common man are transportation, communication, facilities and amenities and human resources development. The basic infrastructure requirements though existed in time and history, their demand in terms of better quality and services as a measure of ‘Development Index’ has seen qualitative difference during the last decade of liberalization and globalization efforts by India. In order to ensure and promote sustainable infrastructure development new strategies and approach in their planning, decision – making, execution and management needs to be adopted and practiced. One major approach to achieve this is by blending new technologies and traditional know – how.

It is here the potential of established technologies, like Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) have a greater role in the application for infrastructure development coupled with other available new technologies of Global Positioning System (GPS); Total Station (TS); Digital Photogrammetry (DP) and Videogrammetry (VG).

Though GIS is in existence for quite sometime, it has made forays into the infrastructure market ever since Information Technology (IT) and Infrastructure (computer hardware/software, networking, internet), has made headway into the country.

GIS offers a cutting edge technology, which is not elusive but is open to all. Further, GIS is an emerging area in information technology, which is a very useful analytical tool for collecting, collating, and analyzing in the spatial context permitting integration of geographic and related attribute and collateral data. The basic GIS architecture consists of computer hardware, software, and associated sub systems to support the operations. It supports a variety of commercial software available in the market, which can be operated using desktop PC to work stations. Depending upon the user needs assessment; the software can be customized and used. Availability of structured, reliable and accurate database and trained manpower is a key factor for the success of GIS technology. More often than not it is the non-availability of such data, which delays a project from completion on time. Therefore, there is an urgent need to build, "Infrastructure Information System" (IIS) to bridge the data gaps and data non-availability.

The strength of GIS lies in its capability to carry operation of integrating both spatial (map) and non-spatial (attribute) data to devise solutions for technical and strategic decision-making. Other unique features of GIS include data conversion/exchange, data analysis, data simulation/3D modeling, decision querying, database connectivity / sharing, retrieval of data, dynamic presentation, user friendly and multi user operations.

Satellite data offers significant data input for GIS operations. Significant developments in remote sensing technology during the last three decades have firmly established its high potential for generating thematic maps. The successful launch and operationalisation of the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS) series viz., IRS – IA/1B & IRS – IC/ID has given fillip to multiple user of this technology in infrastructure development projects in the country being executed by NRSA/DOS and others. Further, with CARTOSAT and others, the scope on its use for infrastructure project is going to be further enhance.

A few examples of use of GIS in various Infrastructural projects include network (road/rail/pipeline) planning, telecommunications, drinking water, sewerage, sanitation, power, health, besides in real estate, emergency response, and retail trade and business territory optimization.

The future of GIS would revolve around Multi-dimensional GIS, Virtual Reality, Four Dimension GIS. Object Oriented GIS and web based GIS application in infrastructure development. Further, with the concept of "Open GIS " it would further simplify its operation. Finally for promoting GIS and its applications, a three-tier strategy has to be adopted. Firstly, the decision-makers have to be made aware of benefits of GIS. Secondly, to educate the user community about GIS. Lastly, "Government-industry-academia" has to participate in tandem in taking GIS as a collective endeavour for the growth and development of National Infrastructure. To achieve this a ‘National GIS Infrastructure Policy’ has to be formulated.