Coimbatore to Conduct Drone-Based Land Survey Under Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP)
The city of Coimbatore is taking a big step toward modernizing its land records by using drones for an advanced survey. This initiative is part of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), a government-funded project aimed at improving land documentation and property records across the country.
As part of this pilot project, a total area of 10.44 square kilometers in seven wards of the Coimbatore Corporation will be surveyed using drones. This survey will help update old land records, ensure accuracy, and create new digital maps with precise geo-location points.
Why is This Survey Important?
Land records in many parts of India are outdated, making it difficult for property owners to prove ownership, pay taxes correctly, or plan for future development. By using drone technology, the government aims to make land records more reliable, reduce disputes over ownership, and create a more efficient system for managing urban properties.
How Will the Survey Be Conducted?
The project has already started with preliminary work. The authorities will use drones to capture high-resolution images of the land and buildings. This data will be processed to create ortho-rectified images (ORI), which are accurate maps used for land surveys.
The survey is expected to cover 73,263 buildings in the designated area. The drone survey itself will be quick, expected to be completed within just three days. However, the entire process, including verification and documentation, will take about one year to finish.
Once the aerial survey is completed, teams from the Revenue and Municipal Administration Departments will visit the surveyed locations for ground-truthing—a process where officials verify the data collected by drones and ensure it matches the actual land conditions.
Technology Behind the Survey
To make the survey more precise, officials will use modern land-surveying equipment, such as:
- Electronic Total Station (ETS): A high-precision instrument used to measure distances and angles.
- Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS): A GPS-based technology that improves location accuracy.
This advanced equipment will help ensure that property boundaries, ownership details, and maps are recorded correctly.
What Happens After the Survey?
Once the survey is completed:
- A draft map of the area will be prepared and published online.
- Property owners will have the opportunity to review the records. If they find any errors, they can raise objections with the authorities.
- After resolving disputes, the final land ownership records will be officially updated.
- The updated land records will be linked with property tax records to ensure transparency and better governance.
Benefits of This Initiative
This drone-based land survey is expected to bring several benefits:
- Accurate Land Records: Reduces land disputes and ensures clear ownership details.
- Better Urban Planning: Helps local authorities plan infrastructure projects more efficiently.
- Easier Property Tax Collection: Updated records will make tax collection more transparent and efficient.
- Environmental Tracking: Even the number of trees in the surveyed areas will be recorded, which can be useful for environmental and city planning.
Officials believe that this initiative will modernize land governance in Coimbatore and make property ownership more structured, secure, and accessible. If successful, similar drone-based surveys could be expanded to other cities across India.
Image source: butterwood
