In an attempt to keep a check on encroachments, Bangalore University has decided to geo-tag the over-thousand-acre Jnanabharathi campus. The exercise will involve tagging a geographical location or identification details to different media, which may include a photograph or video, websites and even SMSes.
Geo-tagging will help the university get a realistic satellite view of the entire campus, said BU officials. The process will help the varsity monitor and plan several initiatives, including maintaining roads, protecting the green cover and plan for the construction of new hostels or buildings. The university is taking up this exercise is collaboration with Rotary International as it is not aware of the exact dimensions of the land it owns.
Several portions of the land are mired in litigation. In some cases, people have allegedly fabricated documents claiming ownership of portions of the campus, said BU sources.
K.R. Venugopal, Vice Chancellor of the university, said that while the campus is spread across 1,112 acres, around 400 acres have been leased out to other government institutes or agencies.
“We are planning to digitise all our property records, as it will also help us keep a tab on encroachments,” he said, adding that it will give the university officials a bird’s eye view of the campus. Once the geo-tagging is done it will be put up on the university’s portal.
K.C. Jayaram, chairman, State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority constituted by the Government of India and the president of Rotary International District 3190, said that the process will help profile the campus. “This will also help the university plan its future development. We want to help the university develop into a lung space, like Lalbagh and Cubbon Park,” he said.
