Gurgaon to Use Satellite Imaging to Check Encroachment

In a bid to show zero tolerance against encroachment and unauthorised construction in the Millennium City, the Gurgaon district administration along with Gurgaon Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and municipal body have decided to set up an application which take the help of a satellite to keep an eye on it.

"Having found back to back illegal construction and encroachment from the last few years, this time we have decided to develop an application which is now in process. This application with the help of the Haryana Space Application Centre (HSAC) would conduct an online mapping of Gurgaon, including old and posh areas and mark important monuments, roads, residential areas and other structures to be monitored 24/7 by a control room," Gurgaon Senior Town Planner (STP), Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG), Sudhir Chauhan.

"The MCG has witnessed illegal construction in some notified restricted areas which include the 'Air Force Ammunition Depot' in Sector-17, where nearby over thousands of illegal houses were constructed", Chauhan said He added that in year 2006, Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the Gurgaon district administration to ensure 900 square meters as secure zone later due to rampant encroachment the court again directed district administration to ensure 300 square meters as restricted zone.

"Earlier, we had video recorded this restricted zones but the violators indulged in illegal activities instead of it. Now this app connecting with satellite, will give actual pictures including 3D and detect any illegal structures," the officer said.

"This app, will be run from high tech control rooms also develop under the supervision of GDMA at the cost of Rs. 3 crore and 32 employees will take care of it. This app will be functional within next couple of months," Chauhan said.

"There have been massive encroachment and illegal construction going in Gurgaon right under the nose of administration which includes Aravalli mountain range, Sohna, DLF phase -1, Old Gurgaon, Sikandarpur, Gwal Pahari, Marble market at MG road. Some illegal practices frequently taken place with the aim to acquire forest areas," Rajesh Vats, a Gurgaon-based environmentalist and nature lover said.

This is a pilot project if it would be successful in Gurgaon. We will similarly run it in other districts in Haryana," he added.