Microzonation of seismic and landslide prone areas for alternate highway alignment in a part of western coast of India using remote sensing techniques

West coast of India is a narrow and linear, a portion from Bombay to Goa in this track is known as Konkan coast. Remotely Sensed geocoded data from IRS-1B has the potentiality in identification of localized patches of change in environmental parameters, which includes changes in lineament pattern, vegetation anomaly, rock debris and occurrence of landslides. Ground protuberances in this terrain are important surface manifestations of probable seismic activity. In these areas quaquaversal drainage pattern is inferred. Landslides are also expected in places near NH-17 (National Highway — 17) which may affect the socio-economic scenario of area. Alternate highway alignment is planned based on least hazard potentiality of the terrain. Weathered Basalts inferred, near the bank of Amba river, were not recommended for tunnel construction. Anomalous clay patches need more care for road construction. Inferred joints, fractures and faults were found in some places which were marked as hazardous locations. Some areas were marked hazardous for road construction due to the presence of palaeochannels but the same were marked as potential areas for ground water exploration.