Survey of Defence Land using Modern Technology

• 11 Jan 2022

For Prelims: Digital India, Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.

For Mains: Role of Emerging Modern Technologies in Land Survey

Why in News

Recently, the Ministry of Defence has concluded a survey of nearly 18 lakh acres of defence land scattered across 4,900 pockets across the country for effective land use and planning, and preventing encroachments.

Key Points

• About:
  • It is a remarkable achievement since for the first time after independence, entire defence land has been surveyed by using latest survey technology and in a large number of pockets in association with the Revenue authorities of various State Governments.
• Use of Modern Technology:
  • Modern survey technologies like Electronic Total Station (ETS) and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) were used in the survey.
    • ETS is integrated with Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) to measure both vertical and horizontal angles and the slope distance from the instrument to a particular point, and an on-board computer to collect data and perform triangulation calculations.
    • DGPS is an advanced form of GPS navigation which provides greater positioning accuracy than the standard GPS.
  • Drone imagery and Satellite imagery based surveys were leveraged for reliable, robust and time bound outcomes.
    • For the first time, Drone imagery based survey technology was used for survey of lakhs of acres of defence land in Rajasthan.
    • Besides this, Satellite Imagery based survey was done for the first time for certain defence land pockets.
  • 3D Modelling techniques for better visualisation of defence land in hilly area have also been introduced by utilising Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in association with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
    • A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a representation of the bare ground (bare earth) topographic surface of the Earth excluding trees, buildings, and any other surface objects.
• Significance of this Achievement:
  • This mammoth exercise of survey of nearly 18 lakh acres of defence land is a unique example of leveraging emerging technologies for land survey in a short time in line with the Central Govt’s emphasis on Digital India.
  • Conducting this exercise after 75 years of Independence, also makes it a part of celebrations under the Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.
• Capacity Building for Land Survey:
  • A Centre of Excellence (CoE) on land survey and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping has also been established in National Institute of Defence Estates Management for capacity building of Defence Estates officials in the field of latest survey technologies.
  • The CoE aims to be an apex survey institution capable of imparting training of various levels to the officers of central and state government departments.

Source: PIB