gis based hostel management system for punjab ... - Paas.com.pk

Pakistan Journal of Science (Vol. 65 No. 1 March, 2013) 

GIS BASED HOSTEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR PUNJAB UNIVERSITY, QUAID-E- 

AZAM CAMPUS, LAHORE, PUNJAB PAKISTAN 

S. R. Ahmad, A. K. Ghalib and S. A. Mahmood * 

Institute of Geology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan 

* Department of Space Science, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, 

Corresponding author email: sajid.pu@yahoo.com 

ABSTRACT: This paper provides a layout of latest technologies which is applicable for not only 

interactive decision making, but also beneficial for risk management to provide effective solution to 

escalating spatial problems of hostel management. The architectural plane of eight hostels of 

University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus Lahore and Google Earth imagery were selected to 

prepare geodatabase for spatial and non-spatial entities using ArcGIS 10. To manage effectively spatial 

and non-spatial data of a hostel requires the understanding and manipulation of a large number of 

variables. The spatial nature of the hostels and their associated resources were linked to students, 

departments and hostel management in Geographic Information System (GIS). Three Stories buildings 

of these hostels were digitized as three different layers with other basic layers. Student‟s data linked 

with rooms for query and visualization. Hostel management system also provided facility to manage 

immovable assets glued to the hostel property allotted to students and management staffs. ArcReader 

10 was used for the data disbursement to different hostel offices and related department for the 

management of hostel assets and illegal hostelized any time. 

Key words: Punjab University Hostels, Hostel Management, Asset Management, Google Earth Imagery, ArcGIS 10, 

Geographical Information System (GIS). 

INTRODUCTION 

Advancement and expansion in the field of 

Information Technology played a vital role to strengthen 

the Geographic Information System (GIS). GIS played a 

considerable impact on spatial data and human resource 

management. GIS is a computer based technology that 

has gained incredible growth and attractiveness within 

the last decade (Kumar et al., 2007; Musa, 2009). A 

computer based system GIS can be explained as it deals 

with data in different stages like data coding and its 

management then managed data is used to analyze to 

produce results. (Aronoff, 1989; Herberich, 2004; 

Parizanganeh, et al. 2011). 

Presentation of reality using basic geometries, 

its accuracy, preparation of data, processing of data 

gathered from different sources and operation performed 

on data to get results and out puts for hard and soft 

presentation vary in range of GIS applications. 

(Goodchild, 1993), (Herberich, 2004).GIS played a key 

role in public organization that deals with utility networks 

like water, gas, power supply. Not only the utility but all 

infrastructures are easy to manage and plan with the use 

of GIS technologies. (Ahmad and Lakhan 2012; 

Sinnakaudan et al., 2001, 2004).Keeping in view the 

market competition resources from human to technology 

and updated information are compulsory for any user and 

proprietor. In this regard institutions and service 

providers are enhancing their capabilities to adopt new 

technologies. (Partheeban et al., 2003).GIS is integrated 

compilation of hardware, software, spatial data and 

people planned to capture, store, update, manipulate, 

analyze and present spatial data. (ESRI, 1990). Presently 

GIS is complete database system, and also present all the 

functionalities of legacy computer systems which were 

used to make maps and cartographic presentations. 

(Ndukwe and Ndukwe, 1997). Database with the passage 

of time are enhanced and geographic data is not a big 

deal to handle and update. As new data sets, procedures 

and techniques introduce to Handel spatial data. (ESRI, 

1990). 

GIS based Hostel Management system is 

developed and new advances in information technology 

are also included to get maximum benefits and manage 

University hostels at Quiad-e-Azam Campus. This 

campus is hub of administrative and academic activities. 

University has 434 affiliated colleges in Punjab. It has 

25,000 regular students and about 650 permanent faculty 

members for research and teaching. It has 13 faculties 

and 10 constituent colleges, 63 departments, centers and 

institutes. 

It is common practice of every department in the 

university to get basic information like name, address, 

student ID, and student academic record. Student coming 

from outside of Lahore need a hostel, the process is 

simple that each department has fix member of rooms for 

every session and porgramme i.e. MPhil Geomatics, BS 

(Hons.) Geology, M.Sc. Geography etc. With the increase 

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of population accommodation in hostel for students is 

becoming insufficient (Onyike, and Olachi, 2010). 

Student gets the form from respective 

department and present to hostel management for 

allotment for a room. Problem arises when department 

management enrolls a student and he does not get 

accommodation in any hostel. Sometime hostel 

management provides shelter to illegal residents because 

there is no coordination system exists between 

department and hostel management. Database is the key 

solution to this problem and easy for every student, 

department management and hostel management to find 

out the room using spatial and non-spatial attributes 

query. 

In this regard each department has its own 

format for storing and retrieving the data. These 

departments store data in word and excel sheet. It has 

high probability of gathering same type of data and 

storage in many places concurrently. 

At present the component of GIS or use of GIS 

technologies do not exist in the department management 

or hostel management of the university. Thus, an attempt 

has been made for a system based on GIS capabilities; 

moreover data sharing between department and hostel of 

the universality can be done efficiently and simply. 

Study Area: University of the Punjab has a great 

importance for this country. University of the Punjab is 

located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is established in 

October 14, 1882. It is 18,000 acres (7 square km) area. It 

has beautiful landscape. It is hub of administrative and 

academic activities. University has 25,000 regular student 

and 25 hostels. 

GIS based hostel management database is 

created to manage the spatial data and attribute data. With 

the help of GIS system it is easy to handle student data 

which is continuing changing after six months or a year. 

Hostel staff, warden and superintendent and 

student information retrieval is fast and easy to manage. 

Other than the human management it is also a tool of 

immoveable property and asset management. It does not 

only give better understandings of building infrastructure 

but also give a platform for helping the authorities to take 

progressive decisions based on complex analysis in short 

time period by using modern technologies. 

According to our study, presently now all work 

is done in simple software like word and excel. The clerk 

of the hostel manages the student list in registers and 

excels files. And these files are then shared with the 

departments and kept for record. We have satellite image 

and a hard copy map too but there is not too much 

accuracy. So for removing the errors from the available 

data we will collect data from staff, expertise, internet, 

maps and some other resources. 

Goal of this project is to not only clear our 

understandings about GIS capabilities but also a 

significance role to provide platform for knowing about 

mapping techniques. Goal of this project is to digitally 

map the infrastructure of new campus according to 

cartographic techniques to convey better understandings 

Figure 1: Study Area 

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Figure 2: Study Area 

METHODOLOGY 

Spatial information was obtained through 

ground survey, scanned maps and satellite imagery, while 

the attribute information was obtained from the hostel 

management and the department of the university. Six 

layers were created – i.e. layers for Building Food prints, 

First floor, Second floor, Third floor, Path ways, Trees. 

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For six of these layers, an attribute table was attached for 

each. In the case of the building layer, first, second and 

third storey layers were linked with attribute table. 

The kind of data required could be grouped into 

two types – the spatial data and the attribute data. The 

spatial data include the spatial distribution of the various 

Hostels, path ways, trees, Lawns etc within the hostel. 

The attribute data on the other hand consists of specific 

attributes of each object, relevant to the efficient 

management of the hostel students. For instance, the 

attributes of each hostel building would include number 

of rooms, name of student living occupier, program, 

session and department of occupier. 

Creation of Geodatabase: 

Figure: 2 Entity Relation diagram 

Figure 2 show the tables of the Geodatabase and their 

relationship with one another. 

Following seven tables are created in geodatabase. 

o Building Food prints (Geometry) 

o First floor (Geometry) 

o Second floor (Geometry) 

o Third floor (Geometry) 

o Path ways (Geometry) 

o 

o 

Trees (Geometry) 

Student table 

First six tables are geometry information as well 

as tabular information. After creation the tables all the 

layers are digitized. ArcMap 10 is used to digitize the all 

layers. Adding the satellite and scanned image of 

university first six layers were digitized and then attribute 

regarding the features were interred in the layers. Student 

table is non spatial table unlike other table ,it holds the 

information of the student i.e. name , father name, class, 

session, registration ID, department ,subject and so on. 

First, second and third spatial layers are showing 

the first, second, third storey respectively of the building 

of hostel. Each storey has a space id which is unique in 

each floor. This space id is used to relate with the student 

table, in this way all floors of all hostel included in this 

application are linked with the student table. 

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RESULTS 

Figure: 3 Query on First Storey 

Figure: 4 Query on Second Storey 

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Figure: 5 Query on Third Storey 

Three different tools are used to show the query 

on first storey, second and third storey of the hostels. 

Three tools are “Identify”,”Hyperlink” and “HTML 

Popup”. In ArcMap 10.0 these tools are given by default 

and there is flexibility to modify or enhance the tool as 

per requirement. In figure 3, 4, 5, shows that “Identify” 

tool is used to identify the student resident in room and 

“Hyperlink” show the attached picture of the student. If 

the room is dormitory, more than one picture can be 

attached and viewed. Popup tool is used to show the 

room information and floor properties. 

Figure: 6 Query on First Storey 

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Attribute table and attribute table of spatial layer 

also query able. Figure: 6 show how query can be made 

through using table of spatial on non-spatial. Figure: 7 

show the 3D perspective of the eight hostel of the study 

area using Arc Scene 10. 3D view of eight hostels has 

been created. ArcScene also provide tools like 

“indentify” and “HTML Popup” as identify showing in 

result. 

With the use of the „Attribute Query tool, the 

Room of any hostel could be located by merely typing its 

number. The GIS finds the room by bringing it to the 

center of the screen and changing its color, so that it 

appears different from the rest. The database could also 

be queried and results of queries displayed on the screen. 

Thus, if empty room of any floor of hostel is queried, all 

the empty room of required hostel will be selected for 

further operations. 

Figure: 7 Query on First Storey (3D view) 

Conclusion: This study proved that the administrative 

process of hostel management become more easy and 

efficient by using the GIS rather than traditional 

softwares. GIS does not require the hi-tech knowledge 

and equipment. It only requires the proper training of the 

hostel management authorities of the universities. This 

kind of application could be applied in any human 

resources organization. 

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