Authorities to use drones to monitor, protect govt land

THE Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Survey of India (SOI) to utilise drone technology for land surveys, aimed at tackling encroachments in the national capital, an official statement on Friday said.

The initiative looks to address the persistent issue of ambiguity surrounding ownership status of lands held by various government entities.

Use of drones will help safeguard these lands from encroachment and prevent unauthorised construction.

During a recent meeting, the L-G reviewed the results of a preliminary drone survey over a 50-square-km area. The trial yielded promising results, with drones capturing high-resolution images which were clearly mapped. In response, L-G Saxena directed that senior officials should have access to these images at their office to allow them to visually monitor infrastructure such as drains, roads, encroachments, and even waste accumulation. This would enable implementation and oversight of corrective actions, the statement noted.