A 3D drone survey in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, has covered 4,223 hectares within the city’s municipal limits as authorities work toward digital maps and property cards for more than 40,000 additional eligible property owners. The project is the state’s first initiative of this type, according to officials, and is being led by the Survey of India.
The mapping program covers properties in Kolhapur as well as nearby Kasba Bawda, Kalamba, Temblaiwadi, Ujlaiwadi and Nave Balinge. Launched in June and resumed in September, the exercise is expected to be completed within a month. The remaining work includes 2,409 hectares, of which 1,805 hectares are in newly extended areas of the municipal corporation.
| Survey measure | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Kolhapur Municipal Corporation area | 6,632 hectares |
| Area surveyed | 4,223 hectares |
| Area remaining | 2,409 hectares |
| Expected additional eligible property-card recipients | About 40,000 |
| Reported measurement detail | About three centimeters |
From aerial data to property records
The work is intended to produce more than an aerial view of the city. Data collected by the drones will be used to prepare digital maps showing the boundaries, size and location of individual properties. Those measurements are expected to support the preparation of property cards and provide a standardized digital record for land administration.
“The information collected through the drone survey would be used to prepare digital maps and property cards for eligible property owners. Accurate measurement information is being collected up to about three centimeters.” — Shivajirao Bhosale, district superintendent of land records
Kolhapur has 45,621 property card holders. Officials said the survey could enable around 40,000 additional eligible owners to receive property cards. The stated objective is to reduce measurement errors and improve the handling of long-running boundary disputes, where a consistent digital record can be used by land-records officials.
Altitude data adds planning value
The survey is also collecting elevation information rather than limiting the output to two-dimensional parcel boundaries. Officials said the altitude data will help authorities identify natural drainage patterns and low-lying areas, information that can be used in flood-mitigation and disaster-management planning.
That combination makes the project relevant to both property administration and municipal infrastructure work. A single aerial survey is being used to establish parcel geometry while also contributing terrain information for decisions involving drainage and flood exposure. The practical outcome will depend on the completion of the remaining coverage and the conversion of the collected measurements into the digital maps and property cards planned by the land-records administration.
- Coverage: 4,223 of Kolhapur Municipal Corporation’s 6,632 hectares have been surveyed.
- Records: The project is intended to support property cards for about 40,000 additional eligible owners.
- Planning: Three-dimensional data will also be used to identify low-lying areas and drainage patterns.
