This page aims to bring to you certain spatial data that can help us understand how Hyderabad grew as a city and how it changed in terms of Land Use, Climatic Zones and Surface Temperature. It also aims to give an understanding of the relation between the urban form and the change in surface temperature. The data is developed based on the research project titled “Canopy Layer UHI Mitigation Strategies for Hyderabad Using Local Climate Zones (LCZs) Approach (TUR_24_01)” – For more details of which, click here.
To introduce Hyderabad city briefly, it is the capital of the state of Telangana in India, and is a vibrant metropolis known for its rich history, cultural heritage, and rapid modernization. Originally founded in 1591, the city was planned with the Charminar at its center (REF). Historically referred to as Bagyanagaram, Hyderabad is famously called the “City of Pearls” for its once thriving pearl and diamond trade. The present Hyderabad District was formed in August 1978 after the bifurcation of the erstwhile Hyderabad District, with its rural parts becoming Ranga Reddy District (REF). The district encompasses core municipal areas, including the old Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad region, Secunderabad Cantonment, Lalaguda, and Osmania University. Covering an area of just 217 sq km, it is the smallest district in Telangana but the most densely populated, with a population of 3.94 million as per the 2011 Census. Hyderabad enjoys a tropical wet and dry climate, with hot summers (maximum temperatures touching 40°C), mild winters (minimum around 13.8°C), and an average annual rainfall of 89 cm during June to September. Situated at an altitude of 536 meters, it offers favourable living conditions for most of the year, with the best season being June to February. The LULC maps in the
Economically, Hyderabad is a major IT and business hub, home to HITEC City and a growing number of multinational companies. It also has thriving pharmaceutical, biotechnology, automotive, electrical, and jewellery industries. The city blends modern infrastructure with a deep-rooted cultural identity, making it a favoured destination for both business and tourism. Hyderabad is equally renowned for its architectural landmarks and tourist attractions. The city’s multicultural population predominantly speaks Urdu, Telugu, Hindi, and English and is known for its hospitality, vibrant bazaars, and world-famous cuisine, This unique combination of old-world elegance and cutting-edge growth, cements Hyderabad as one of India’s most dynamic and iconic cities..
Hyderbad SDI Components
Administrative boundary map defines the official jurisdictional limits of Hyderabad, serving as a base layer for spatial analysis, governance, and planning. The map ideally contains City's municipal & ward boundaries
Land Use Land Cover (LULC) maps of an area provide information to help users to understand the functions and uses allocated to the buildings and plots of a city. It shows the distribution of surface features such as built-up areas, vegetation, water bodies, and open land, helping track urban growth and environmental change. (National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO, 2025)
LULC information on national spatial databases will enable the monitoring of temporal dynamics of agricultural ecosystems, forest conversions, surface water bodies, etc. (Anderson et al., 1976)
Landsat Surface Temperature measures the Earth’s surface temperature in Kelvin and is an important geophysical parameter in global energy balance studies and hydrologic modeling. (U.S. Geological Survey, 2025)
An LST map is a spatial representation—typically derived from satellite or airborne thermal remote sensing—depicting the land surface temperature, or the "skin temperature" of the Earth’s surface. It visualizes how hot or cold the surface would feel to the touch across a given area. (NASA, n.d.)
It is a framework designed to categorize regions within a city or area using specific criteria related to their physical characteristics and human activity. These zones provide standardized methods for evaluating and mapping climate-related data on a local scale, which is crucial for urban climate research, planning, and development. Local Climate Zones provide detailed insight into how different parts of a city interact with climate variables like heat, moisture, and wind. (Atlas.co, 2025)