Vol. 1, Issue 11, Part N (2015)

Abstract
Mumbai- Thane coastal zone is very vibrant, dynamic and delicate environmental zone, which performs important functions in India. This area is also rich source of food, energy and minerals and therefore a primary source of livelihood for a large population depends on this area. The shoreline of Mumbai- Thane coastal area is one of the most rapidly changing landforms of the country which is influenced by Geomorphic processes such as erosion, deposition and sedimentation, periodic storms, flooding and sea level changes continuously modify the shoreline. Satellite Remote Sensing technique has proved its utility in all fields of earth science studies including coastal processes. The major advantages of RS and GIS are that it allows identifying the spatial relationships between features and temporal changes within an area over time. The main objective of the study is to assess the coastal changes along the Mumbai – Thane coastal area. To fulfill this study few sub-objectives are taken in to consideration to identify the sites of Erosion and Accretion along the coast, to assess the land utilization of Mumbai – Thane coast, to find out the major Vegetation types, to demarcate CRZ boundary and identify the changes, impact of Sea Level Change in Mumbai – Thane coastal region. To fulfill the objectives of the study progressive methodology has been prepared and various satellite data has been collected to analyse the temporal variation and impact of human activities. In this paper an attempt has been made to study the shoreline changes in terms of erosion and accretion using RS and GIS for Mumbai- Thane coastal region.