Navi Mumbai properties surveyed using new technology

All properties in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation jurisdiction are being surveyed using the state-of-the-art Light Detection and Ranging – LiDAR – technology; with the project in full swing, the civic body is confident that the property tax bills from the next financial year would be based on the information from this survey

All properties in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) jurisdiction are being surveyed using the state-of-the-art Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology.

Navi Mumbai properties surveyed using new technology. NMMC would undertake two types of surveys of the properties in the city using LiDAR technology. The first is terrestrial survey that entails going to the locations in mobile vans with light weight scanning systems on tripods while the other is using drones from the sky. (BACHCHAN KUMAR/HT PHOTO)

With the project in full swing, the civic body is confident that the property tax bills from the next financial year would be based on the information from this survey. No property survey has ever been done in the city over the years till the present one.

NMMC commissioner, Abhijit Bangar, held a review meeting this week on the progress of the survey work.

NMMC would undertake two types of surveys of the properties in the city using LiDAR technology. The first is terrestrial survey that entails going to the locations in mobile vans with light weight scanning systems on tripods, through which ground-based laser survey is undertaken to produce highly accurate 3D data. Seventy per cent of this survey has been completed.

The second survey is using drones from the sky for which requisite permissions from the Central and State Governments have been received. Bangar has asked his officials to follow up with the local police administration to get its permission at the earliest.

To ensure that all Geographical Information System (GIS) data collected during terrestrial survey is accurate, Ground Control Points (GCP) are being installed at 12 locations for base station marking. Work at seven locations has been completed while it is in progress at five locations. It will ensure that images received from mobile LiDar and drone surveys undergo Geo Reference, thereby ensuring that all GIS data are received accurately.

Bangar said, “I have given clear orders that the property tax department should issue property tax bills from 2023-24 based on the information collated from the LiDAR survey. GIS mapping-based LiDar technology is being used to conduct 360 degree comprehensive surveys. It will provide the civic body accurate details of all properties in the increasing urbanisation scenario. This will ensure that all properties come in the property tax net, thereby increasing NMMC’s revenue.

“It will also help update details of NMMC-owned properties, water pipelines, sewage lines, streetlights and various other civic amenities in the city. We can use it for the all-round development planning of the city.”

As per the NMMC records, there are around three lakh properties in the city. Officials say a new LiDAR survey could reveal around 75,000 more properties.