Paper published in Applied Geomatics. A mobile GIS framework for in-situ measurement of coastal defence conditions
Happy to share that our paper is finally published in Applied Geomatics
Veeravalli, S.G., Murali, M.G., Alluri, S.K.R. et al. A mobile GIS framework for in-situ measurement of coastal defence conditions: development and application in Kerala, India. Appl Geomat18, 93 (2026).https://doi.org/10.1007/s12518-026-00744-9
This paper has a long backstory!
Developing this mobile GIS framework was one of my first tasks when I joined the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) back in 2022. Ironically, it is also the last paper from that phase of work to be published. It went through years of revisions, rejections, restructuring, and rethinking before finally finding its home.
But in many ways, this tool came before everything else.
The framework was developed using a web application built on Kobo Toolbox to support structured GPS-referenced, multimedia-enabled field data collection on coastal protection structures and geomorphological features. It was first deployed along the Kerala coastline as a trial, and the success of that deployment helped scale similar field data collection efforts to other coastal regions, including Goa, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry during my tenure.
The data collected through this framework became the foundation for several later research outputs on coastal protection structures, vulnerability assessments, and risk prioritization. Beyond research papers, it also contributed to practical coastal management work, including the pioneering Shoreline Management Plans for Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry.
Veeravalli, S. G., Murali, M. G., Subburaj, S., Alluri, S. K. R., Ramanathan, V., & Murthy, M. V. R. (2025). Integrating coastal protection structures into vulnerability assessments: A case study from Kerala, India. Ocean & Coastal Management, 266, 107670. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107670
Murali, M. G., Veeravalli, S. G., Alluri, S. K. R., Ramanathan, V., & Ramana Murthy, M. V. (2025). Statewide field assessment of coastal protection structures in Kerala, India: structural and functional insights. Journal of Coastal Conservation, 29(4), 39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-025-01124-y
Veeravalli, S. G., Noujas, V., Ramanathan, V., Murthy, M. V. R., et al. (2024). An integrated GIS methodology for identifying high-risk areas due to damaged coastal protection structures: a case study of Kollam district in Kerala, India. In Eighth Geoinformation Science Symposium 2023 (Vol. 12977, pp. 371–379). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3009595
Reshma, K. N., John, J. S., Veeravalli, S. G., Mridula, G. M., Alluri, S. K. R., Ramanathan, V., & Murthy, R. (2024). Remote sensing-based assessment of Varkala cliff retreat in Kerala, India. In Eighth Geoinformation Science Symposium 2023 (Vol. 12977, pp. 542–549). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3009585
A key part of the revision was also making the tool more reproducible. The XLS survey instrument and user guide are not publicly available through Zenodo.
This paper is not about introducing a complex model. It is about something equally important: building a practical, scalable, and field-ready system for collecting consistent coastal infrastructure data in real-world conditions.
Everyone can access article at this link: https://rdcu.be/fkyg4
Thanks to my co-first-author Mridula Murali for sticking along this long journey and grateful to my co-authors Satya Kiran Raju Alluri, V. Ramanathan, and RAMANA MURTHY V MALLAVARAPU, and to the field teams and institutional partners who made the large-scale surveys possible.