LiDAR prop survey: After Centre-state nod, NMMC awaits police permission

The smart city of Navi Mumbai has opted for LiDAR so as to identify the structural changes in the property and tax them, accordingly

Aiming to boost the property tax through LiDar survey, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) chief, Abhijit Bangar, has directed officials to expedite the survey work and get necessary permission at the earliest for facilitating the survey works with drones. The Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology is accurately geo-tags the location-under-survey and assesses the structural changes made to the property. In this manner, the civic body is eyeing to levy tax according to the alterations made in the structure.

The survey will be conducted in two stages—on site visit and from the sky by drone—under the LiDAR technology. While the on-site mobile van LiDAR survey is in progress and 70 pe rcent works have been completed, the civic body is awaiting police permission for using drones from sky survey.

A senior official from the Property tax department said they have received necessary permissions from the central and state governments for using drones. Now, the permission of the local police administration is required, and the additional city engineer of NMMC is following up with the agency.

During the review meeting, the civic chief directed the property tax department to make available commencement certificates and occupation certificates of buildings in the city for facilitating the survey work.

As part of the survey,

Ground Control Points (GCPs) are being set up at 12 locations in the NMMC area for marking the terrestrial survey using LiDAR technology. Of the 12 locations, GCP has been set up at 7 locations. This will be used for geo-reference to obtain images in drone surveys. It will help in getting the accurate data.

Apart from properties, during the survey, properties owned by the corporation as well as water pipes, sewerage lines, street lights, and various civic amenities in the city will also be updated.