PANAJI
As part of the NAKSHA scheme of the Central government for creation of land records, Goa government has initiated 3D-based land survey using drones and electronic devices as pilot project covering municipal areas of Panaji, Margao and Cuncolim.
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. The lists of unclaimed or vacant land parcels will be sent to the Collector for action under the Goa Escheats, Forfeiture and Bona Vacantia Act, 2024.
A senior officer informed that under NAKSHA, Panaji, Margao and Cuncolim is selected for pilot project through central funding. He said that under the project, the government has introduced Goa Geospatial Knowledge-Based Land Survey of Urban Habitations aimed at modernising urban land surveys using advanced GIS technology.
“The project involves 3D-based land survey. The survey has started and soon it might be extended in other municipal areas,” he said.
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).
Meanwhile, the government has notified draft Rules for Geospatial Land Survey of Urban Areas.
Under these rules, the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records is nodal agency for conducting the survey, who will issue notice to residents, landowners, mortgagees, and other stakeholders—both within and outside India—urging them to cooperate with survey officers to ensure accurate measurement and recording of land rights.
The surveys will be conducted as per procedures set by the Director and recorded in the Urban and Peri-Urban Land Property Ownership Records (UP-ULPOR) system. Data will also be integrated through the web GIS portal of the Madhya Pradesh State Electronic Development Corporation (MPSEDC).
Once the data is compiled, it will be verified by an Inquiry Officer, not below the rank of Inspector, who will determine ownership rights, encroachments, easements, and government or local body holdings. A draft UP-ULPOR will then be published for public scrutiny, inviting suggestions or objections within 30 days.
The Inquiry Officer will hold inquiries under Sections 14 and 85 of the Land Revenue Code to resolve ownership and title issues. Corrections will be made based on the final inquiry or court decisions.
