Drone-based survey to assist spatial planning by Solan MC

Ambika Sharma

Solan, August 27

To prepare a database of various amenities, a drone-based survey of the Solan civic body has been kick-started by the Aryabhatta Geo-informatics and Space Application Centre.

This is the first such endeavour by an urban local body (ULB) in the state. It will enable the authorities to undertake planning for improving civic amenities, besides assessing the buildings for imposing revised property tax.

Will assess various amenities

The Aryabhatta Geo-informatics and Space Application Centre has been engaged to survey the area. It will facilitate spatial planning by assessing various amenities like total land availability, ownership of various land parcels, economic and community planning etc. Zaffar Iqbal, MC Commissioner

Solan Municipal Corporation Commissioner Zaffar Iqbal said, “The Aryabhatta Geo-informatics and Space Application Centre has been engaged to survey the area within the jurisdiction of the civic body. It will facilitate spatial planning by assessing various amenities like total land availability, ownership of various land parcels, economic and community planning etc.”

“A credible database would be made available once the survey is completed and it will help us introduce measures like property tax, while allowing us to plan expansion of civic amenities and commercial activities on the leftover land,” Iqbal said.

The agency is supposed to complete the survey in the next four-six months.

Solan has failed to receive a central grant under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) even as eight other ULBs have received Rs 154.07 crore for augmenting key amenities.

Deputy Mayor Rajeev Kaura said, “We are making efforts to provide better civic amenities in the MC area. Once the survey is completed, gaps will be identified in providing civic amenities that can be expanded and improved. We will be able to present our case with credible data for seeking financial assistance from the state and central agencies.”

He said the requisite permission to conduct a drone survey had been taken from the district administration.

A population growth of 57.26 per cent was registered in Solan in 2011, which was the highest in the state. Being the fastest growing ULB, Solan faces an immense load of urbanisation as besides increase in its population, a large chunk of floating population also visits it on a daily basis.

The MC is supposed to introduce nine reforms under the AMRUT 2.0 within a stipulated time to be eligible for the grant. The imposition of property tax was one of them. The new tax rates were notified some months ago, but because of the absence of data on houses, tax assessment had been hanging fire.