IMPACT OF EMERGING GEO-INFORMATICS TECHNOLOGIES IN CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Geo-informatics is a term portraying the integral role of GIS, Remote Sensing, GPS and Surveying. The magic of this wonderful set of tools timely realized by the planners in developing and developed countries. Today, Geo-informatics must be an integral part of a successful Planning Department in many countries . Speed, efficiency, and accuracy in information exchange have become competitive tools to satisfy customer demands, improve productivity and enhance innovation and creativity. This paper is an attempt to achieve the following objectives:

1. To examine the historical evolution of geo-informatics as planning tool;
2. To highlight the role of geo-informatics with pragmatic examples; and
3. To evaluate the utility of this technology in Master and Regional Plans

Urban management and development is shown to work best with participative and inclusive methods which geo-informatics can provide very effectively and thus a suitable framework for its inclusion in city planning is recommended in developing countries (Forrester, 2000). This will be discussed in this study at length.