PANAJI
Goa has emerged as the only State in the country witnessing organised public resistance to the Centre's National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations (NAKSHA) project, even as the pilot initiative is being implemented across 26 States and three Union Territories with broad public participation despite concerns over transparency and implementation.
The Union government's flagship urban land records modernisation programme seeks to create accurate digital property records through high-resolution drone surveys, Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) technology, GIS mapping and ground verification.
In Goa, the pilot is being carried out in Tiswadi, Margao and Cuncolim.
Goa stands apart
While concerns over transparency have surfaced in several States, Goa remains the only State where the NAKSHA rollout has evolved into an organised public movement opposing the project itself, highlighting the unique sensitivity surrounding land ownership and property records in the State.
The project has triggered strong opposition from citizens' groups, landowners and activists in Goa, who have questioned the legal framework governing the exercise, the transparency of the verification process and the timelines fixed for public scrutiny. Several organisations have demanded that the exercise be suspended until wider public consultations are held and legal safeguards are put in place.
The citizens have expressed apprehension that discrepancies between the new digital survey and existing land records could create fresh ownership disputes, particularly in a State where property documentation is often complex and rooted in Portuguese-era records.
Apprehensions persist among landowners, who fear the long-term implications if the newly generated digital records are integrated with existing revenue documents without a clear legal framework.
Different response elsewhere
The contrast with other States implementing NAKSHA is striking. In Maharashtra, urban planners and officials have welcomed the use of drone and LiDAR technology to resolve long-standing issues with municipal records, although some residents have raised concerns about data privacy and potential encroachment disputes.
Gujarat has also embraced the project as an important step towards better urban planning, with citizens seeking greater transparency to ensure drone-based surveys do not inaccurately alter property boundaries.
In Karnataka, the technology has largely been viewed as a means to curb land fraud and simplify property title verification, even as some residents have voiced concerns over delays in reconciling old and new records. Andhra Pradesh has seen broad support for the initiative as a tool for modernising property administration, though some property owners fear reassessment could increase property taxes. In Rajasthan, residents and civic bodies have actively participated in ground verification exercises, viewing the project as an opportunity to secure clearer property boundaries and reduce future disputes.
