Smart citizen role in the management of construction violations, using the volunteered geographic system (Study area: Al-Rifai City, Iraq)

جغرافیا و توسعه فضای شهری

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 05 February 2024   

Document Type: Original Article

DOI: 10.22067/jgusd.2024.81159.1296

Authors

Hossein Etemadfard^{* 1}; Mahdi Najjarian²; Ahmed Al Shuwaili³

¹Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, FUM

²M.Sc. Student of GIS, Civil Engineering department, Engineering faculty, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

³M.Sc. of GIS, Civil Engineering department, Engineering Faculty, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Abstract

People's role in urban management has always been crucial, exerting significant and profound impacts on the urban management process. On the one hand, with the advancement of technology, new tools have been developed to facilitate public participation in more valuable and sustainable issues. In this regard, one practical and applicable solution is the volunteered use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This research employs Web 2.0 technology and, through the development of web-based geographic systems, provides a platform for individuals to become decentralized content producers through the Internet. By doing so, people, acting as intelligent players, will contribute to the smart management of urban building violations and assist in data collection. Subsequently, through the design of a WebGIS section, the collected information undergoes processing and analysis. The information collection section has been designed in two versions for volunteers and municipal observers. The system's performance was evaluated by four volunteer citizens and two municipal employees in Al-Rifai, Iraq. During one week, a total of 257 data points were collected. The highest percentage, 72.37%, pertained to reports of violations involving encroachments on the street and sidewalk spaces, while the lowest percentage 1.17% related to establishing shops in pedestrian walkways or public squares. The results indicate the effectiveness of the system in field operations and its potential to aid in data collection and better response to violations. Therefore, promoting the system through seminars and utilizing existing products (ESRI) within the municipality is recommended for data analysis. This could include presenting it for various operating systems and distributing it through popular software stores, contributing to a broader introduction.

Keywords

VGI; Smart City; Smart Citizen; Volunteered Geographic Information; Urban Management

References