Property survey will be done in two years, claims official

All records will be in digital form, says Ponnuraj

The property survey work initiated in Mangalore in April under Urban Property Ownership Record (UPOR) system, has been completed in Bolur region and the Department intends to complete the survey work in Mangalore within  two years, said Survey, Settlement and Land Records Department Commissioner V Ponnuraj.

He was speaking at an interaction programme with corporators of the Mangalore City Corporation to bring awareness about UPOR system at Mangalore City Corporation on Monday. Stating that the survey work will be carried out by a specified agency at a fast pace, he said the digitalisation of urban property records will act as a single stop reference material for anybody who wishes to know about the property in Mangalore.

“Though several property surveys have been conducted earlier, none of them have proved useful in achieving the target. With the implementation of UPOR system in five districts in the State namely, Mysore, Shimoga, Bellary, Dharwad and Dakshina Kannada, all the property related records will be available in digitalised form and the property holders will possess the unique legal property ownership identity cards or PR cards as a proof of their ownership,” said Ponnuraj.

Survey fee

Answering to a question on the fee to be paid by the property owners for survey purpose, the Commissioner said that slabs have been fixed for surveying lands of different measurement.

The property owners will have to pay a minimum fee of Rs 300 for measuring 800 to 1000 sq feet of land, while the owners holding residential or commercial plot of more than 5000 sq ft will have to pay the fee up to Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000. The fee has to be paid only once and this would not be a burden on the middle class families, as they will have to pay an average survey fee of not exceeding Rs 500, said the Commissioner.

The survey project has been taken up under Public Private Partnership model. Infotech Enterprises Ltd, the agency that carries out the project is bearing 33 per cent of the project cost while the government has invested 66 per cent of the project amount. The project has been taken up at a cost of Rs six crore,  of which the tender has been already given for Rs 3.5 crore. The agency has the responsibility of conducting the survey and maintaining the project for next six years, Ponnuraj informed.

Encroached land

Asked about dealing with the encroached properties, the Commissioner stated that the property of a owner will be surveyed taking into consideration the adjacent properties.
The survey and verification of various documents like title deeds, RTC, Municipal records will reveal any kind of misappropriation or land encroachment.

“The Department will furnish all the details about the encroached land to the Corporation, especially the road side properties, which would enable the MCC to take up reclamation and road widening work. We will submit a report on the encroachment of drainages in the city within six months,” assured Ponnuraj.

Karnataka Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker N Yogish Bhat who was present at the meeting said that the Department has been entrusted with the responsibility of surveying 30 km road for Mangala Corniche project.

“At a officers meeting on Monday, it was decided to recommend the name of V Ponnuraj for the post of nodal officer for Mangala Corniche project and the recommendation will be sent to the government soon,” he said.

Mangalore City Corporation Mayor Gulzar Banu, Deputy Mayor Amithakala and MCC Commissioner Dr K Harish Kumar were also present during the interaction meet.