Access to civic services set to improve

With the Corporation rolling out the GIS upgrade, its database of utilities will be greatly expanded

August 19, 2018 12:08 am | Updated 12:09 am IST - CHENNAI

Residents of the city will get more web-based applications for improved civic services as the Chennai Corporation is set to upgrade its Geographical Information System (GIS) services.

The present software, Esri ArcGIS, from the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in 2008 as part of the Computer Aided Digital Mapping Project in six cities which was sanctioned by Union Planning Commission. This was used for the creation of a digital database and utility mapping using GIS technology in 44,000 streets of Chennai.

Smarter services

“Now, World Bank has agreed to fund for the upgradation of software and hardware of the systems in the civic body,” an official said. This will kick-start the next phase of modernisation in the GIS application for various civic services.

Projects relating to Smart City Mission and other civic services will be implemented with better efficiency using the GIS applications. “For example during a calamity, residents will even get improved services from National Disaster Response Force with the development of this application,” said an official.

Corporation officials will also monitor violations in building construction on a periodic basis with the GIS. “The civic body is planning to get more licences for the geo-spatial software,” an official said.

Long overdue

In addition to World Bank funding, the Corporation will start using capital funds for utility mapping. “We have already taken action to procure hardware and enhancement of software with warranty support till the year 2022 for the ongoing utility mapping project from Tamilnadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services (TNUIFSL) through the World Bank grant,” said an official. However, the upgrade of the existing software will not be covered under the TNUIFSL project fund.

The civic body has already started generation of a digital database, door-to-door surveys and utility mapping using GIS technology under the World Bank funded Tamil Nadu Sustainable Urban Development Project.

“The software has been upgraded periodically by the nodal agency from version 9.2 to version 10.0 by NIC. But it has not been upgraded for Chennai. The ownership of the software licenses were permanently transferred in favour of the GIS Division, Greater Chennai Corporation in 2016,” the official said.

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