Delhi's Digital Land Revolution: How Drones Are Mapping Village Property Rights

She said that this initiative will not only strengthen the land management system but also play a decisive role in providing villagers with legal proof of ownership and financial security.

Abadi Deh literally means the ‘inhabited area of a village’. It refers to that specific land area within a village’s revenue boundary where rural residences (houses), threshing floors, cowsheds and other ancillary structures are located.

The Chief Minister informed that the Revenue Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Survey of India in April 2022 for implementing the Central government’s SVAMITVA Scheme in 48 rural villages of Delhi.

Drone surveys have been completed in 31 villages so far, and ‘Map 2.0’ for 25 villages has been verified and submitted to the Survey of India for the issuance of land parcel maps and geo-based identification numbers, she said.

For the effective implementation of the SVAMITVA Scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020 on National Panchayati Raj Day, the Delhi Government has prepared a draft of the Delhi Abadi Deh Survey and Record Management Rules, 2025, she said.

The draft clearly defines the entire operational framework, from drone-based aerial surveys and field verification to public objection procedures, dispute resolution, creation of digital records, and issuance of property cards.

The objective is to ensure that no individual’s rights are infringed and that land-related disputes are resolved in a transparent, time-bound and fair manner, she said.

As per government provisions, the Abadi Deh survey process will be conducted under the direct supervision of the Revenue Department. Survey teams and technical agencies will jointly carry out surveys in Abadi Deh areas, extended Abadi Deh areas and other notified zones using modern technologies, said a statement.

Digital data will be collected through drones and aerial photography, enabling accurate recording of the exact location, size and boundaries of each plot.

Alongside technology-driven surveys, ground truthing will be mandatory. Preliminary maps prepared through drone surveys will be physically verified on-site to ensure that the boundaries shown accurately reflect the ground reality.

- IANS