BBMP set to use drones to map properties

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will use unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to map property and taxes in the city soon. UAS technology will be used with the help of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as a pilot project in one of the eight zones.

Last year, the civic body decided to use UAS (also known as drones) to survey the properties across the city and spot the defaulters. According to BBMP, using drones will help the Palike improve its poor property tax collection and identify the property by the aerial survey. Using technology will also help in the better assessment of properties and public assets.

The civic body has identified around 19 lakh properties using spatial mapping, which was done through Geospatial Enabled Property Tax Information System (GEPTIS), a collaboration with ISRO.

The BBMP also allotted unique digital identification numbers to properties.

“The BBMP officials are in touch with ISRO to implement this project in the city. UAS technology can be used to identify the property which is not been identified through the GEPTIS. After another round of meetings we will start using the drones,” said Mayor R Sampath Raj.

“After identifying the properties through UAS, we will serve notice to the defaulters to pay the tax. The clear images from the drones will help BBMP to check violations that property owners have done,” he added.

While property tax is the only source of revenue for the BBMP, the Palike is consistently failing in meeting the collection target. In the past fiscal, the tax collection target was Rs 2,600 crore from an estimated 16 lakh properties, against which BBMP could collect only Rs 1,665 crore.