Street-network Sprawl in Hailakandi, India

What is Street-network sprawl?

Street-network Sprawl is a way to measure urban sprawl, worldwide, through the connectedness of the streets. Less sprawl means more connected, more walkable streets. Well-connected streets – like New York City’s grid – are more walkable and can be served by public transit.

The street network is permanent, and its connectivity affects the livability and environmental footprint of cities for decades and centuries to come. In places with more connected streets, residents drive less and walk more. A well-connected street network is associated with better outcomes for health, the environment, sustainable consumption, social integration, and equity.

We can quantify how connected street networks are with the Street Network Disconnectedness Index (SNDi).

SNDi -- our measure of street-network sprawl (disconnectedness)

The SNDi is a comprehensive measurement of “sprawl”. It captures:

A higher SNDi means less-connected streets – i.e., more sprawl. For the 10137 cities in our dataset, the average SNDi is 2.25, with half of the cities' SNDis falling between 1.08 and 3.25.

More information on the sprawl index can be found in these research papers:

To see the state of street-network sprawl across the globe, visit the sprawlmap.

Hailakandi: city in Assam, India

What exactly constitutes the spatial extent of the city? For these aggregations, we used the Global Human Settlement Layer Urban Center Database (GHS-UCDB) to define the boundaries of the city. These cities -- or urban centers -- cover areas that are densely populated and built-up, and so may extend beyond the spatial borders of these cities that we may be familiar with. The GHS area is shaded in blue.

View Hailakandi, India on the sprawlmap

Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Hailakandi as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 3.92, which is highly disconnected.

Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 3.16, 4.38, 3.5 and 4.07. Disconnectivity in street construction in Hailakandi follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, street construction was most disconnected, while construction was most connected in 1976-1990.

Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Hailakandi spans a total of 42 kilometers. It is dominated by roads constructed in 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 4.38, which is highly disconnected.

Effect on the aggregate network: New construction in each period adds to the total stock of streets, but does not change streets that have already been built. Therefore, it has a limited effect on the street network as a whole. The SNDis of the aggregate street network in the respective time periods are 3.16, 3.98, 3.9 and 3.92. Disconnectivity in Hailakandi's street network follows a zig-zag trend. In 1975, the city was most disconnected; while it was most connected in 1976-1990.

Hailakandi and Assam do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Hailakandi followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Assam rose steadily.

How do development practices in Hailakandi fare in comparison to others in Assam? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Hailakandi was the 8th-most disconnected out of the 30 cities in Assam. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has not changed. Hailakandi ranked 8th in 1975, 9th in 1976-1990, 11th in 1991-2000 and 8th in 2001-2014.

Hailakandi and India do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their street network constructions. The SNDi in Hailakandi followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in India rose steadily.

How do development practices in Hailakandi fare in comparison to others in India? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Hailakandi was the 433rd-most disconnected out of the 1716 cities in India. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in India, street construction in Hailakandi has become more connected. Hailakandi ranked 278th in 1975, 165th in 1976-1990, 440th in 1991-2000 and 433rd in 2001-2014.

Hailakandi and Assam do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Hailakandi followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in Assam rose steadily.

To date, Hailakandi is the 15th-most disconnected out of the 30 cities in Assam. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in Assam, the street network in Hailakandi has become more connected. Hailakandi ranked 8th in 1975, 10th in 1976-1990, 13th in 1991-2000 and 15th in 2001-2014.

Hailakandi and India do not follow the same trend in the disconnectivity of their aggregate street networks. The SNDi in Hailakandi followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase, while the SNDi of street constructions in India rose steadily.

To date, Hailakandi is the 332nd-most disconnected out of the 1716 cities in India. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other cities in India, the street network in Hailakandi has become more connected. Hailakandi ranked 278th in 1975, 212th in 1976-1990, 275th in 1991-2000 and 332nd in 2001-2014.

As of 2015, Hailakandi had a built-up area of 3.09 square kilometers, and a population of 133957 people.

These are some other cities with approximately the same population: