The Puducherry Government has completed a major portion of the drone-mapping and data collection activities for the comprehensive land resurvey in Puducherry, marking significant progress in the Union Territory’s efforts to modernize land records after 56 years.

The land re-survey is being carried out using advanced drone technology by the Survey of India in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. The last State-wide land survey was conducted in the 1970s, and only urban areas were surveyed separately thereafter.

According to an official, “The old land tax registers and Field Measurement Book (FMB) from that period remain in use till date, despite significant changes in land boundaries and usage over the decades. To address these challenges, the government launched the scientific digital survey in collaboration with the Survey of India, the Central government’s technical partner.”

“The drone mapping operations are now progressing rapidly with the survey already completed in Mahe while it is nearing completion in Karaikal. Out of 294 sq.km in Puducherry, the drone-based mapping has been completed in around 240 sq.km. The survey will begin in Yanam in two weeks, and the entire exercise will be completed in two months,” the official said.

Based on the survey, field maps would be created with geo-reference points. The results of field survey done by a joint team of Survey, Revenue and Municipality officials would be integrated with the data for property tax maintained by the Local Administration department.

The Department has also planned to generate photographic (Ortho Rectified Image – ORI) documentation. Based on the ORI maps generated during aerial surveys, the field survey of lands would be carried out by the field survey teams constituted comprising Revenue and Local Administration department officials.

The Field Measurement Book (FMB) would be created based on the survey of lands carried out using modern survey tools such as Real time Kinematics and Electronic Total Station. Further, if there were any objections in the prepared map, the concerned landowners could appeal to the authorities concerned. They would be considered and settled in accordance with law.

After conclusion of all the activities, the geo-referenced field maps would be published, and the land record data would be integrated with property-related data and the same would be provided to landowners. The patta details to all lands would be updated in the name of eligible landowners.

According to C. Sendhil Kumar, Director of Survey and Land Records, “The only challenge facing the drone survey is security restrictions around the airport. Drones cannot fly near Puducherry Airport without clearance, and we have sought permission from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. Once approval is granted, the remaining areas will be fully surveyed.”

He added, “Once the digital re-survey is completed across all the four regions, Puducherry will possess its most accurate land survey map to date. This will significantly reduce land boundary disputes and encroachments. The public will be able to obtain land records digitally while fake documents will be curbed, making land transactions safer.”