Survey of India completed a drone survey of nearly 550 sqkm, or more than one-third of the city, in the first phase of the exercise and shared the images with Delhi Development Authority and Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The survey included the imagery of the entire Yamuna O Zone, which is spread across nearly 97 sqkm, and 66 unauthorised colonies. Officials said the agency was now in the process of carrying out a drone survey of the morphological ridge, having an area of nearly 111 sqkm.
The images will help in identifying encroachments on DDA land, determining the type of structure and the number of floors built in residential pockets, and removing encroachments after verifying with the revenue records.They will also be useful in monitoring new encroachments, if any, at regular intervals.
Delhi Development Authority entered into a tripartite agreement with Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Survey of India in Aug this year in an effort to tackle the issue of ambiguity surrounding the ownership and status of land held by different govt entities in Delhi.
The initiative also aimed at safeguarding such land from unauthorised encroachments and illegal construction activities.
According to officials, DDA will superimpose the cadastral (khasra) maps on images taken by drone to identify its land and determine if it is encroached or free from it. “We will also monitor the new encroachments on DDA land at regular periodicity throughout the year.
We received the files of khasra layers of O-Zone from Survey of India, and the same has been superimposed on area maps. The table-top exercise of verification of DDA and private khasras from records was completed,” said an official.
Officials said the drone survey was initiated after LG VK Saxena consistently flagged the need for understanding the ground status of land. He personally oversaw the three agencies coming together and signing the agreement. “The matter was flagged by different courts also, which instructed the land-owning agencies to adopt advanced technological solutions to map the actual status of land,” said the official.As part of the project, the drone survey will provide high-resolution images and help in the exact boundary demarcation of structures and khasra layers. “As part of the project, data elevation models are being used to identify vertical encroachments. It will help in getting real-time data on encroachments, thereby prompting authorities to act against encroachments in the nascent stage itself,” the official explained.
“The survey will generate geospatial data and map activities, which will act as a base for the integration of data of DDA, MCD, and various other departments in Delhi, including revenue, housing, urban development, PWD, flood control, environment, agriculture and disaster management, to maximise resource utilisation and ensure comprehensive coverage of all areas under their respective jurisdictions.”
