SRA set to use drones to map huts, demarcate slum boundaries in Mumbai | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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SRA set to use drones to map huts, demarcate slum boundaries in Mumbai

Hindustan Times | By, Mumbai
Jan 19, 2018 11:26 PM IST

The decision was taken as the current manual survey was not producing accurate information due to various logistical reasons.

The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) will now employ drones for mapping the huts in the city and demarcating the slum boundaries.

The pilot project was held at Hariyali village in Kurla, where the drone covered a distance of 50 acres in the dense slum.(Representational Image)
The pilot project was held at Hariyali village in Kurla, where the drone covered a distance of 50 acres in the dense slum.(Representational Image)

The decision was taken as the current manual survey was not producing accurate information due to various logistical reasons.

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According to Deepak Kapoor, CEO, SRA, the drones will provide precise information of the slums.

“The 20 megapixel camera takes pictures of each slum in five different angles and also demarcates accurately the slum boundaries. The pictures will cover the size of the tenement, the adjacent roads as well amenities in place,” Kapoor said. He added that it will be beneficial to the builder to plan the project as well as the slum dweller to prevent any cheating.

At present, the slum map is prepared by using the backpack Lidar machine and GPS technology. “The problem is the narrow lanes, which do not allow such machines to go through them. The drone which flies at low heights comes as a relief to this problem,” Kapoor said.

The pilot project was held at Hariyali village in Kurla, where the drone covered a distance of 50 acres in the dense slum.

Housing activists have welcomed the move saying that it will help get an idea of the slums in Mumbai.

“The digitalisation can serve as an effective tool to stop the mushrooming of the hutments,” said housing activist Ramesh Prabhu.

According to SRA, there are 12.50 lakh slums in the city, housing over 62 lakh people. The SRA programme has been moving at a slow pace with just 1.52 lakh slum dwellers moving to new houses.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Naresh is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times, Mumbai, since 2005. He covers the real estate sector, in addition to doing political reportage.

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