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<p>Rapid urbanization continues to exerts pressure on eco-sensitive hill towns, highlighting the need for planning frameworks that effectively balance development with environmental preservation. Conventional urban development approaches often fail to account for the spatial, ecological and socio-economic complexities unique to hill terrains. This study proposes a context-specific, comprehensive and scalable framework for area-based development (ABD) in eco-sensitive hill towns. The framework integrates the triple-bottom-line (TBL) sustainability approach with spatially explicit ecological indicators to enable balanced decision-making. The study synthesizes findings from the literature review of peer reviewed studies and some semi-structured surveys with experts from the concerned fields and incorporates a calibrated set of 8 dimensions and 26 weighted indicators using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) techniques. These dimensions span biodiversity, land use patterns, water and energy infrastructure, socio-economic vulnerability, disaster risk and cultural heritage. Application of the framework in the study area i.e. Mount Abu municipal area enabled micro-zonal classification of development potential across multiple identified dimensions. The results revealed a clear spatial differentiation from very high development potential to extremely low development potential using a standardized scale. The framework further operationalized quantified development thresholds, recommending graded land-use intensities with Floor Area Ratio (FAR) ranges of 0.75–1.75 based on ecological carrying capacity. The resulting sensitivity index and sector-wise development prioritization support data-driven decision-making for local authorities, while remaining adaptable to other hill towns in India and comparable geographies globally. This work significantly advances the discourse on sustainable planning of eco-sensitive urban areas by operationalizing a context-responsive ABD model that balances environmental integrity with developmental needs. The proposed framework not only strengthens urban environmental security but also offers a policy-supportive mechanism for integrating ecological thresholds into urban governance systems in eco-sensitive areas. The study contributes a replicable, indicator-based model that aligns with SDG 11 while emphasizing the need for decentralized, resilience-oriented urban planning in eco-sensitive hill towns.</p>

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Assessment framework for area-based development of eco-sensitive hill towns

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月27日

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  • Deeksha Chhachhiya,
  • Ashwani Kumar,
  • Satish Pipralia

摘要

Rapid urbanization continues to exerts pressure on eco-sensitive hill towns, highlighting the need for planning frameworks that effectively balance development with environmental preservation. Conventional urban development approaches often fail to account for the spatial, ecological and socio-economic complexities unique to hill terrains. This study proposes a context-specific, comprehensive and scalable framework for area-based development (ABD) in eco-sensitive hill towns. The framework integrates the triple-bottom-line (TBL) sustainability approach with spatially explicit ecological indicators to enable balanced decision-making. The study synthesizes findings from the literature review of peer reviewed studies and some semi-structured surveys with experts from the concerned fields and incorporates a calibrated set of 8 dimensions and 26 weighted indicators using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) techniques. These dimensions span biodiversity, land use patterns, water and energy infrastructure, socio-economic vulnerability, disaster risk and cultural heritage. Application of the framework in the study area i.e. Mount Abu municipal area enabled micro-zonal classification of development potential across multiple identified dimensions. The results revealed a clear spatial differentiation from very high development potential to extremely low development potential using a standardized scale. The framework further operationalized quantified development thresholds, recommending graded land-use intensities with Floor Area Ratio (FAR) ranges of 0.75–1.75 based on ecological carrying capacity. The resulting sensitivity index and sector-wise development prioritization support data-driven decision-making for local authorities, while remaining adaptable to other hill towns in India and comparable geographies globally. This work significantly advances the discourse on sustainable planning of eco-sensitive urban areas by operationalizing a context-responsive ABD model that balances environmental integrity with developmental needs. The proposed framework not only strengthens urban environmental security but also offers a policy-supportive mechanism for integrating ecological thresholds into urban governance systems in eco-sensitive areas. The study contributes a replicable, indicator-based model that aligns with SDG 11 while emphasizing the need for decentralized, resilience-oriented urban planning in eco-sensitive hill towns.