The Hindu : 'City's digital maps have no use'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

'City's digital maps have no use'

By Our Staff Reporter

Bangalore April 17. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) spent Rs. 58.20 lakh on maps supplied by the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), and it became unproductive as updating the maps through a ground survey was yet to be taken up.

According to the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (Civil) 2002, the two agencies arranged for aerial photography of the Bangalore metropolitan area through the NRSA in 1998 at a cost of Rs. 39.37 lakh.

Later, it was considered that conversion of the aerial photographs into digital maps would be of great value to all agencies involved in infrastructure, taxation, provision of services, and planning of the City. The State Government nominated the BDA as the nodal agency for getting the work done through the NRSA.

The BDA entered into a memorandum of understanding with the NRSA with March 2001 as the stipulated date of completion, and Rs. 58.20 lakh was paid to it. However, as of April 2002, the NRSA delivered proof plots for 1,220 sq. km. out of the total area of 1,424 sq. km.

The Town Planning Consultant (TPC) of the BDA observed that the NRSA's capacity to do the job was limited.

The Principal Secretary to the Government, Urban Development Department, endorsed the replies of the BDA Commissioner, who stated that NRSA had delivered aerial photographs and digital data in batches commencing from February 2000, and proof plots for 1,220 sq. km. in April 2002.

He contended that the maps or data were used by the BWSSB for the Cauvery Water Supply Scheme, Stage IV, and the Geographical Information System (GIS). These replies were not true, as the maps or data supplied by the NRSA could not have been used by the BWSSB, as mapping, designs, and drawings were finalised in December 1998. This was much before the delivery of digital maps or data received from the NRSA.

In respect of the GIS, the consultant to the BWSSB observed that the maps did not meet the basic requirements and contained errors.The BDA Commissioner contended that the aerial survey of March 1998, based on which NRSA prepared the maps, would not become obsolete, as it would be updated through ground survey. The contention was not tenable as no ground survey was taken up by the BDA and, as a result, the maps supplied by the NRSA had no utility, the CAG observed.

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