PUNE: Homeowners in Maharashtra may soon have a simpler way to access ownership records and update land documents, thanks to a new state government initiative. A large-scale drone survey is being launched to map urban properties and digitize the mutation process for approximately one crore records.
The revenue department’s extensive project includes municipal areas and surrounding gaothan (village site) limits. Officials indicate that this initiative aims to resolve ongoing issues with urban land records and significantly diminish future ownership disputes.
State settlement commissioner Shailesh Nawal stated to TOI that, following instructions from the revenue minister, a government resolution (GR) has been enacted, accompanied by detailed guidelines for urban local bodies. “Some municipal corporations have already initiated the process,” Nawal mentioned.
Officials from the settlement commissioner’s office explained that the drone surveys will yield high-resolution digital maps, which will aid in creating property cards and updating records in fast-developing urban areas where documentation has lagged behind growth.
“The drone surveys — integrated with GIS mapping, geo-referencing, and on-site verification — will result in a dependable, high-quality database for citizens,” said an official. Draft maps will be made available for public review to ensure accuracy before finalization. These maps will accurately depict property boundaries, roads, open spaces, and water bodies.
In conjunction with the mapping, the state is accelerating the digitization of property mutations—the legal procedure for recording ownership changes due to sales, inheritances, gift deeds, or other transactions.
According to the settlement commissioner’s office, more than 1.4 lakh mutation applications have already been processed via the electronic property system integrated tool (ePSIT). This online platform aims to eliminate paperwork and the need for physical visits to government offices.
Currently, the ePSIT system manages common mutation types, including property purchases and mortgages, inheritance and wills, as well as gift and relinquishment deeds and lease transactions.
Under the new digital workflow, applicants can submit requests from home, monitor their status online, and receive SMS notifications at each stage. “The goal is to expedite property services and enhance transparency. Applications are now processed on a first-come, first-served basis through an automated system, lessening the need for direct contact with officials,” a senior official added.
The department is also working to incorporate all remaining mutation types onto the platform as part of a broader effort to modernize the state’s land records.
