SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF URBAN GREEN SPACES IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF GULBERG TOWN

Abstract

Urban green spaces are very important for a country to maintain its socioenvironmental balance. But in most developing countries these UGSs were on the wane. Not only their count was decreasing, but it was even difficult to maintain and sustain the existing facilities. Pakistan as a developing country is facing the same problem. This study was carried out in Lahore; the 2nd largest city of Pakistan to address the same problem on micro scale. Gulberg Town with its 15 union councils was taken as a case study. The results produced by using GIS software showed that amount of urban green spaces present in Gulberg town were not sufficient to cater for the need of the people. The results also showed that areas in south was having more green spaces as the phenomenon of urban development is prominent in that part of the city. The northern areas, as a part of old city, were lacking in urban green spaces. The results exhibitis that the per capita green space was far less in Gulberg town-Lahore as suggested by international standards set forth for a sustainable city. This imbalance in our urban life poses a real challenge for the policy makers, city managers as well as for city dwellers.