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Urban areas are complex multi-dimensional systems evolving out of an interaction of multiple agents at several levels. At any given singular moment of time, several transformations may be occurring simultaneously, which every human being perceives differently and comprehends individually These individual experiences result from the perceptual and cognitive processes in the human brain that also determine the meanings that we derive from our surroundings. These perceptual processes also determine the image that is created in the human brain of the environment around us, and is a selective process influenced by our cultural and social positions. This process of formation of mental images through individual experiences and recollections is always rooted in the spatial-temporal context and by forming connections between the past and the present; it can help us in assigning values to the remains from the past and justifying the need for their continuation into the future.

The urbanization process in India, its pace of growth has accelerated over the past ninety years. The process of urban development is guided and co-ordinate by the development plan of the city. Most of the major cities of India do have development plans, but these plans are often vitiated at various stages of its implementation, mostly in qualitative terms and provision of basic facilities. In most of the sectors of development, the intent of the proposals is not adequately translated into the envisaged physical framework thus creating differentiated, disjointed and undesirable urban growth. When the demands are not met in a guided manner, illegal occupation of sites and services, land use transformation, unauthorized constructions takes place, this is where the degradation of urban environment starts of, and the issue of assessing urban transformation assume importance.

Bhopal Functional and physical form Transformation
In the case of Bhopal, these resources exist in various forms ranging from concrete physical forms to the more abstract cultural values that people may associate with a place. The walled city of Bhopal was self-contained unit governing a very small principality. The basic regional functions taking place in spaces were related to administration. This function of administration still continues but with a wide change of scale. Except for a few units, not much industrial activity could settle in Bhopal. This was the first impact on physical form of disturbances. Special mention is being made in this period because in latter half of twentieth century.

The whole country physical configuration was undergone a rapid change of urbanization and industrialization. Almost overnight, the core area had to function as the center for a whole lot of new spatial developments, with the increase in population at a tremendous rate the walled city had to assume the function of a commercial center.

Land Use and Activities of Inner-city Area
This Land use variation shows the need to integrate the preservation process with the planning and development process. As the focus has shifted from the city to the user, the goals and targets in this process have changed. An integrated planning process needs to be defined which considers the reality as perceived by the user such that the 'process' is designed with the user's expectations providing the 'pointers'.

This interface of planning has to be flexible and transparent to accommodate the change in perceptions or values through time rather than setting out rigid parameters or design constraints, which predetermine the future behavior and aspirations of the community. An understanding of the underlying spatial patterns and social systems is essential before any future interventions are carried out. This is important to avoid the dissonance that may occur in the resultant urban structure because of conflicting patterns superimposed over one another. A management plan for a city, especially for one that has strong links to the past, has to then necessarily start with understanding the transformations that have taken place in the city through time. Any planning has to evolve out of this spatial-temporal context of the city, which further emphasizes the need for the integration of a research aspect to a statistical process such as urban planning.

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