Asian Journal of Geographical Research

Who Can Reach a Service? Zone-Level Measurement of Convenient Access to Public Transport in Bhopal, India

Jainoo Singh Choudhary, Soyhunlo Sebu, Archana Sen — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: This study measures Sustainable Development Goal indicator 11.2.1 for Bhopal Municipal Corporation and its nineteen administrative zones and examines whether a single citywide value obscures spatial differences relevant to service planning.

Study Design: Quantitative spatial analysis using a geographic information system.

Place and Duration of Study: Bhopal Municipal Corporation, Madhya Pradesh, India, August 2026.

Methodology: The analysis used the operator’s register of 396 surveyed bus stops, five railway stations, eight operational metro stations, and the constrained Bondarenko 2020 population surface at approximately 100-metre resolution. Following the custodian definition, Euclidean catchments of 500 m around low-capacity stops and 1 km around high-capacity stations were constructed in UTM Zone 43N. Accessibility was calculated on population and land-area bases for the corporation and each zone.

Results: Convenient access extends to 1,492,687 residents, representing 70.2 per cent of the population, while covering 40.8 per cent of land area. Zone-level population access ranges from 40.2 to 98.9 per cent, and land-area access from 17.2 to 97.9 per cent. Of 632,451 residents beyond the threshold, 36.9 per cent are concentrated in three peripheral zones containing 22.2 per cent of the population. Accessibility is negatively associated with the logarithm of zone area (r = -0.738). Completion of metro Phase 1 raises citywide population access to 75.2 per cent, while the peripheral deficit remains substantially unchanged.

Conclusion: Administrative disaggregation reveals spatial differences concealed by the citywide indicator and provides a more informative basis for identifying where accessibility deficits are concentrated.

Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts of Shared Mobility Services in the City of Kigali, Rwanda

Marie Ange Musanganya, Denys Uwimpuhwe — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: This study assessed the environmental and socio-economic impacts of shared mobility services in the City of Kigali, Rwanda, with particular emphasis on their contribution to sustainable urban transport, environmental improvement, and livelihood enhancement.

Study Design: A convergent parallel mixed-methods research design was employed.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the City of Kigali, Rwanda, among users of various shared mobility services, including bus commuters, motorbike-taxi users, ride-hailing users, and private car owners. Data collection was carried out in 2026.

Methodology: Quantitative data were collected from 400 respondents using structured questionnaires, while qualitative information was obtained through semi-structured interviews with nine key informants representing urban planning institutions, transport regulatory agencies, and mobility service providers. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis, whereas qualitative data were analysed thematically.

Results: The findings revealed that all shared mobility components examined, namely car and bus sharing, motorbike-taxi sharing, digital mobility platforms, and ride-hailing services, were positively and significantly associated with respondents' perceived socio-economic and environmental outcomes (p < 0.05); because both predictor and outcome measures were self-reported, these results reflect perceived rather than independently verified impacts. Car and bus sharing exhibited the strongest association (r = 0.832, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the four predictors jointly explained 75.6% of the variation in socio-economic and environmental impacts (Adjusted R² = 0.709; R = 0.862; p < 0.05). Respondents reported that shared mobility services contribute to reduced traffic congestion, lower urban emissions, improved accessibility, and the creation of employment opportunities. However, disparities in access were observed among low-income populations and residents of peripheral areas.

Conclusion: Shared mobility services constitute an important pathway towards sustainable urban development in Kigali by generating environmental and socio-economic benefits. The study recommends the development of integrated digital mobility systems, accelerated electrification of shared transport modes, and targeted infrastructure investments to improve accessibility and inclusiveness across all communities.

Robust Inference and Management Prioritisation of Sub-Basin Water-Quality Heterogeneity in the Pra River Basin, Ghana

Frank B. K. Twenefour, Henry Otoo, Eric Neebo Wiah — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: River-basin averages may conceal management-relevant differences among tributary systems. This study quantified the magnitude, precision, and management relevance of differences in Water Quality Index (WQI) among the Birim, Offin, and Pra sub-basins of the Pra River Basin, Ghana.

Study Design: Secondary quantitative analysis of an existing cross-sectional, station-level WQI dataset.

Place and Duration of Study: The study covered 150 georeferenced monitoring stations distributed across the Birim, Offin, and Pra sub-basins of the Pra River Basin, Ghana. The secondary statistical analysis was conducted in 2026 using previously developed station-level WQI data.

Methodology: The study did not re-derive the WQI or repeat spatial interpolation. Descriptive statistics and 95% confidence intervals were used to summarise sub-basin WQI patterns. Distributional characteristics were assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Overall differences among sub-basins were evaluated using Welch's one-way analysis of variance, followed by Games-Howell post hoc pairwise comparisons. Effect-size measures were estimated to assess the practical magnitude of observed differences.

Results: Mean WQI was highest in Offin \((120.57 \pm 15.67)\), followed by Birim \((93.33 \pm 10.82)\) and Pra \((74.17 \pm 7.22)\). Welch's test showed significant differences among the sub-basins, \(F(2,89.96)=198.36, p<0.001\). Variance-partition effect sizes were very large \(\left(\eta^2=0.728 ; \omega^2=0.723\right)\), while Games-Howell comparisons showed very large to extremely large standardised differences across all pairwise contrasts.

Conclusion: WQI differed substantially among the three sub-basins, indicating that basin-wide averages may obscure spatial differences relevant to water-quality management. Offin emerged as the highest priority for surveillance and source investigation, Birim as a corrective-monitoring priority, and Pra as a preventive-protection priority. The study provides decision-oriented evidence by quantifying uncertainty and practical effect magnitude while avoiding unsupported attribution of pollution to specific sources.

Impact of Rainfall Variability on LULC and NDVI in Polavaram District, Andhra Pradesh: Using Geoinformatics

M. Karunakara Rao — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rainfall patterns significantly influence land use, land cover and vegetation health, which is commonly assessed using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). This study examines the influence of rainfall patterns on land use, land cover and vegetation health in Polavaram district, utilising data from 2017 and projections for 2025. Variations in rainfall, ranging from low to very high, significantly affect agricultural practices and ecological stability. In 2017, tree cover accounted for 70.97% of the area, while agricultural land comprised 11.8%. By 2025, tree cover is projected to decrease to 67.83%, and agricultural land to 11.36%, indicating shifts in land utilisation. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index revealed spatial differences in vegetation health, with higher values corresponding to robust ecosystems. NDVI analyses for 2017 and 2025 further demonstrated changes in land cover, with water bodies and built-up areas exhibiting minimal vegetation. These results underscore the need to understand the impacts of rainfall variability on land management, agriculture and biodiversity. The study provides valuable insights for stakeholders to address climate change, enhance agricultural resilience and manage extreme weather events, thereby supporting sustainable development in the region. The research provides valuable insights into how changing precipitation patterns affect land use and vegetation health, which are essential for effective resource management and planning.

Integrated Sedimentological Characteristics and Hydrocarbon Prospectivity of the Ogwashi–Asaba Formation, Southeastern Nigeria

Oludewa Joseph Mode — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Ogwashi–Asaba Formation in southeastern Nigeria comprises interbedded sandstone, shale, and lignite units that record variations in depositional processes and provide a basis for preliminary assessment of hydrocarbon prospectivity within the Anambra Basin. This study evaluated the sedimentological characteristics, petrographic features, organic matter content, and depositional significance of selected outcrop successions. Field observations were integrated with grain-size analysis, petrographic examination, and total organic carbon determination using the Walkley–Black wet oxidation method. The sandstone units are predominantly fine- to medium-grained and variably sorted, indicating fluctuations in depositional energy. Petrographic examination shows quartz-rich sandstones with minor feldspar, rock fragments, and accessory minerals, consistent with compositional maturity, sediment recycling, and prolonged transport prior to deposition. Shale and lignite intervals contain appreciable organic matter and represent comparatively low-energy depositional conditions favourable for organic matter preservation. Integrated sedimentological and geochemical evidence supports deposition within a dynamic transitional system influenced by fluvial, deltaic, swamp, lagoonal, and shallow marine processes. Organic-rich shale and lignite intervals indicate preliminary source-rock potential, whereas compositionally mature sandstone units may have reservoir relevance. However, the available evidence is insufficient for definitive petroleum-system evaluation, and further analyses, including kerogen typing, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, vitrinite reflectance, and biomarker studies, are required to constrain hydrocarbon generation potential, thermal maturity, and petroleum-system significance.