The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) plans to use satellite images to track temporal changes in urban areas and on agricultural land in Gurugram and Faridabad. Officials said that the system could help track development projects and encroachments in the two districts.
The authority will procure raw data of particular locations from satellite images over a period of time and monitor and detect changes. An analysis of such satellite images will help understand the spread, pace and direction of the overall development patterns at these locations, according to the GMDA.
“The use of this technology will help us see what is happening in particular areas and the temporal changes taking place over time. It will enable planning, monitoring and enforcement, according to the requirements of the area of interest,” said a senior GMDA official, adding that the technology could help curb encroahments.
The proposal for the Geospatial Temporal Change Management and Information Monitoring system got tabled and approved in the eighth authority meeting of the GMDA last year.
At the Core Planning Cell (CPC) meeting last Tuesday, officials proposed procuring the satellite images on a one-year subscription basis, which will involve Rs 1.25 crore approximately. “The CPC recommended procuring satellite images from Gurugram and Faridabad for one year on a subscription basis. We are considering the matter further, but it will take us two to three months to complete all formalities before starting work on the project,” said the official, adding that the GMDA is figuring out who will provide the satellite images.
At the meeting, Chief Executive Officer Sudhir Rajpal directed all the GMDA divisions concerned, including urban planning, infrastructure 1 and infrastructure 2, to “effectively use” the system for the planning, execution and monitoring of development projects. He also directed officials to make the data available on the authority’s OneMap portal. The GMDA will share the project cost with the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority.
