Margao: The inquiry process for the department of land resources’ NAKSHA pilot mapping project is under way in South Goa, with the office of the inspector of survey and land records (ISLR), Margao, inviting property owners to verify their land records till Aug 14.The window, which opened on July 16, allows residents of Margao, Cuncolim and Panaji — the three urban centres covered under the pilot — to bring their title documents to the ISLR office for cross-verification against the newly generated digital maps.The department of land resources, in a statement, sought to allay concerns over the project, stating that original land records remain fully protected and that no changes to ownership status would result from the exercise.NAKSHA — the department’s flagship urban mapping initiative under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) — uses GIS and drone-based surveying to map urban land parcels with high precision. The maps are then physically verified against actual field conditions, a process officials term “ground-truthing”, intended to align recorded boundaries with real conditions on the ground and reduce future disputes.Officials said the project also includes safeguards for owners who may not be available during the survey period, clarifying that physical absence during the exercise will not affect legal ownership.The inquiry window closes on Aug 14, after which the next phase of the project is expected to be rolled out in the three towns.
