Web mapping platform for spatial monitoring of projects in the urban sector: the case of Cameroon

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume VI, Issue VI, June 2021|ISSN 2454-6194

Web mapping platform for spatial monitoring of projects in the urban sector: the case of Cameroon

Clarice Fotso and Landry Engelbert Tongo
National Institute of Cartography, Cameroon

Abstract: The urban sector is a critical sector for the coming decades with the growth of the urban population. It is therefore important to guarantee investments, with optimal monitoring of projects. In Cameroon, this activity is the responsibility of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which has specially set up a web application to monitor these projects. However, this platform remains limited because it does not exploit the spatial component of the projects. In this article we propose a cartographic web platform for the spatialized monitoring of projects in this sector for Cameroon. The implementation of this platform followed the steps of a software development process. The result is a cartographic web application that offers an interactive thematic map for monitoring projects in the urban sector. The base maps available, in particular the OSM map and the Google satellite image, as well as the interactivity offered through cartographic navigation and querying the project layer, provide better visibility on the real progress of projects on the site.

Keywords: web mapping, urban sector, project monitoring, voluntary geographic information, decision support tool.

I.INTRODUCTION

According to the World Bank, 55% of the world’s population, or 4.2 billion people, live in cities and this trend will continue by 2050. With the doubling of the current number of city dwellers, almost 7 in 10 people around the world will live in urban areas. To control this urbanization, policies must be able to respond to a number of challenges, including the increasing demand for affordable housing, well-connected transport networks and other essential service infrastructure. Building these “functional” cities, that is inclusive, healthy, resilient and sustainable, requires intense efforts to coordinate policies and make smart investment choices. It is imperative that national and local authorities take action now to prepare for the future development of cities and create opportunities for all [9].
In Cameroon this mission is devolved to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MINHUD) [10], which is responsible for formulating and implementing government policy on housing and urban development. In fulfilling its mission, the MINHUD realizes every year various projects that cover matters such as the development of roads, urban sanitation, construction of social housing,

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