Analysing Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Urban Sprawl, Evolving Pattern of Urban Landscape and Driving Forces of Urban Growth: A Case of Varanasi Planning Region, India.

This article focuses on analyzing the spatio-temporal dynamics of urban sprawl, evolving urban landscape patterns, and the driving forces behind urban growth in the Varanasi Development Area (VDA), a rapidly expanding metropolitan region in northern India. Using geo-spatial methods including the Landscape Expansion Index (LEI), landscape metrics, and logistic regression modeling, the study examines urban growth modes—infilling, edge-expansion, and leapfrog development—over two decades (2001–2011 and 2011–2021). Findings reveal that edge-expansion and leapfrog development dominate Varanasi's urban growth, contributing to fragmented and dispersed built-up landscapes primarily outside statutory municipal boundaries, driven significantly by proximity to transportation infrastructure and existing urban centers. The research underscores challenges posed by unplanned peri-urban expansion and highlights the need for strategic land use regulation to promote sustainable urbanization in the region.