Optimal Site Selection for Civil Servants’ Medium-Rise Apartments in Kathmandu Valley: An AHP-GIS Multi-Criteria Proximity and Feasibility Ranking Approach

Abstract

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal’s administrative and political center, faces increasing demand for affordable and accessible housing for civil servants. High land prices near urban amenities create a trade-off between affordability and accessibility, often resulting in longer commuting distances. This study aims to identify optimal locations for medium-rise civil servant apartments by integrating accessibility and land affordability considerations. A stratified survey was conducted to determine housing preferences and acceptable land-price levels. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to derive criterion weights, while spatial analyses in QGIS incorporated accessibility indicators, land affordability, vacant land availability, planning constraints, and environmental restrictions. Pareto Frontier analysis identified locations with the best accessibility-cost trade-offs, and TOPSIS was used to rank the alternatives. Sensitivity analysis and expert interviews were conducted to validate the results. The study provides a practical decision-support framework for selecting feasible apartment sites and supports sustainable housing planning for civil servants in Kathmandu Valley.