PUDUCHERRY: As part of the NAKSHA scheme of the central government for creation of land records, Chief Minister N Rangasamy launched a pilot project for surveying land using drones and electronic devices on Tuesday. The project commenced at Murungappakkam Revenue Village (ward M, N and O) in Puducherry municipality, marking the first phase of the ambitious initiative.
The NAKSHA project, an acronym for 'National Geospatial Knowledge-Based Land Survey of Urban Habitations,' aims to modernise land records using cutting-edge technology such as drone flying methods, Electronic Total Station (ETS), and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). The project aligns with the Puducherry government's order in October last year to conduct a comprehensive re-survey of land across the Union Territory.
The survey will cover all taluks and sub-taluks, including Puducherry, Oulgaret, Villianur, Bahour, Karaikal, Thirunallar, Mahe, and Yanam.
Under the project, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will capture high-resolution, ortho-rectified images of the survey areas. Based on these images, teams from the revenue and municipal administration departments will conduct field surveys to prepare detailed maps with geo-location points. These maps will be integrated with property tax data maintained by local bodies, ensuring more transparent and accurate land records.
Residents will have the opportunity to raise objections if discrepancies are found in the survey maps. Appeals can be submitted to the relevant officials, who will address the concerns according to established procedures. Upon resolving these objections, the finalised land records, including field maps and property documents, will be issued to landowners. For the benefit of this scheme the title of all private lands will be transferred in the name of the existing eligible land owner.
“The initiative promises several benefits, including the accurate identification of land boundaries, streamlined property tax assessments, and the transfer of land titles to rightful owners. This technology-driven approach will significantly enhance the efficiency and reliability of land administration in Puducherry,” said the chief minister during the launch.