In a first, Maharashtra plans satellite survey of all land parcels

MUMBAI: Maharashtra is set to become the first state in India to undertake a re-survey of all land holdings and draw up land ownership maps using satellite technol ogy which will ascertain ownership titles of virtually every plot in the state.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that this process will not just help farmers but also investors who want to acquire land for projects, as it will be able to pinpoint all land records and genuine land owners.

The state government had launched a pilot project ­ Re-survey Maharashtra - in 12 villages of Mulshi taluka in Pune district many months ago, which will now be expanded to cover almost all districts. GPS-based technology and satellite images will be used to resurvey the land in villages and semi-urban areas which will help the administration prepare maps of every plot with details pertaining to ownership and changes introduced in land titles till now.

"We are going to use the most advanced satellite technology in these mappings. The land records will also be digitised, so there will be no scope for confusion about land ownership or fraud. Computerised records will provide clarity to prospective land buyers," Fadnavis said.

This technology will also help common people get a clear idea about titles of land which will come in handy during land deals.Officials of the department of rev enue said that this re-survey has been done by the state government under the central government's National Land Record and Measurement Programme (NLRMP), which seeks to upgrade land records in the country.

A senior revenue official based in the state headquarter said this mapping and the new land records created through this process will set the benchmark for future land acquisitions. Any investor planning large land acquisitions can use the mapping records for planning as well as authenticating the ownership title. It will also establish whether there are any encroachments in cities such as Mumbai and Thane.

The land will be re-surveyed with the help of two advanced techniques - satellite imaging and GPS-based electronic total stations. These techniques will enable accurate measurements of land and will help to draw maps based on the data collected during the re-survey.