Data Protection Law and City Planning: Role of Open Data in Climate Resilience and Governance of National Capital Territory of Delhi, India

Abstract

In planning profession, every step of the planning process is guided by data-either in the form of primary data or secondary data, collected by various institutions and agencies, but rarely shared in public forum. Each project allocates a significant portion of the project timeline and cost for data collection, but these costs and challenges can be drastically reduced if the data is open. This chapter highlights a case example on the role of open data in climate resilient development for Delhi. The example indicates the use of open data, available on the geoportal of international agencies, national agencies and local government, in conducting spatial-temporal analysis of spatial development and climate change environmental degradation, for three decades within a time span of 5 months. The study is grounded in remote sensing based on Landsat imageries made available from the online portal of United States Geological Survey (USGS) and a digital elevation model available from the USGS as well as national geoportal called Bhuvan. The models built from these aerial imageries are empirically analyzed in a correlation model supported by data inputs through national, state and local government data available on various government portals of Delhi, including Geospatial Delhi Limited. The crux of the research highlighted in the chapter, is to emphasize on the importance of open data for urban planners and administrators of India in ever changing dynamics of city and its region—and the need for climate resilient urban strategies for a sustainable urban future.