Geospatial approach to analyse the impact of urban development on the urban heat island in Hisar city, Western Haryana, India

Urban development significantly impacts the land surface temperatures (LST), and Hisar city is not an exception to this, as demonstrated through an analysis of Landsat data spanning the period from 1991 to 2022. The present study aims to examine the spatio-temporal patterns of land surface temperature (LST) and the Urban Thermal Field Variance Index (UTFVI) for assessing thermal comfort of urban residents in Hisar city. The primary objectives include examining temperature patterns, calculating UTFVI, and analyzing comfort levels for the city's residents. A geospatial approach has been adopted to assess the effects of urban growth on the creation and intensification of the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon in Hisar city, located in western Haryana, north-western India. Using ArcGIS 10.2 software, land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes during the study period has been mapped using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for vegetation cover and the Normalized Difference Building Index (NDBI) for built-up areas. The findings indicate a noticeable intensification of the UHI effect over time, with densely built-up zones driving rising LST. The minimum LST rose significantly from 17.02 degrees C in 1991 to 37.40 degrees C in 2022, while the maximum LST increased from 30.00 degrees C to 47.24 degrees C during the same period. A negative correlation between LST and NDVI highlights the potential of greener spaces to mitigate rising urban temperatures, whereas a positive correlation between LST and NDBI highlights the intensifying impact of urbanization on UHI effects. These trends suggest that thermal comfort for city residents has declined over the decades. To mitigate the challenges posed by increasing LST and UHI effects, it is imperative to implement effective heat action plans, promoting sustainable urban development and efficient heat management strategies in Hisar and other rapidly urbanizing cities.