PANAJI: All current property titles, boundaries, and official land records are completely secure and remain unchanged due to the National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations (NAKSHA) pilot project. In light of concerns surrounding the mapping initiative, the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records (DSLR) and the Centre’s Department of Land Resources have issued a clarification to dispel “groundless rumors”.
DSLR assured that the rights of non-resident landowners and those living abroad are fully protected. “Being physically absent during a survey visit does not jeopardize property rights or ownership. The program features multiple verification stages and designated public viewing periods to maintain legal protection for absent owners,” officials stated.
Property ownership adheres to established legal standards and valid land titles, meaning no third party can claim someone’s property based solely on their physical presence during a survey, the authorities emphasized.
Launched under the National Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme, NAKSHA aims to improve urban land parcel mapping through GIS technology, intended to enhance town planning, modernize land administration, and optimize public utility layouts.
Moreover, DSLR officials clarified that NAKSHA is purely a data-mapping exercise and is not linked to land acquisition. “The government is not seizing private land, nor will the survey result in increased local property taxes. It simply documents land parcels as they currently exist, ensuring ongoing legal and boundary disputes are unaffected and managed appropriately by the courts,” noted an official.
