Following a High Court directive to file details of all its properties by December 5, the BBMP’s Estate Department, which looks after its assets, is burning the midnight oil and has collected details of 3,524 ward-level properties so far.
The civic body is also looking to compile these details for storage in digital form. The initiative was launched in an attempt to prevent encroachment and misuse of public properties.
Assistant Commissioner (Estate Department), Srinivasamurthy has been working on the new e-procurement system to digitise the BBMP’s properties. He said, “We have identified these properties and will compile details through assistant revenue officers. These records will be scanned and uploaded on the new system. A dedicated software will help access records with just the click of a mouse.”
He added that the data will be routed to the BBMP head office after getting approval from zonal commissioners.
Murthy explained that the system is necessary, given the procedures in place for utilising the BBMP properties for commercial purposes which will generate revenue for the civic body.
Each property has 14 associated documents such as khata, photo and measurements, which are required to allow its commercial use.
Murthy explained that digitisation of property details will help in compiling and keeping track of all these documents and also effectively reducing the risk of damage from rain, termites, fire and theft.
Welcoming the proposal, Y M Ramchandramurthy, zonal commissioner, Yelahanka, said that 600 properties in the zone have been identified and their details can be fed into the new system.
BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana said that digitisation is being undertaken to generate revenue and also protect BBMP properties.
“The idea is good and suggestions to link even transferable development rights (TDR) were given before this project took off,” he added.
Lakshminarayana said he will approve the proposal after adding some more features.
He added that the Estate Department wants to start the project by October 15 and complete it by November 10.