Pilot project to track illegal works

The state government on Friday told the Bombay High Court that it will start a pilot project at an area in Mumbai to track illegal construction through satellite images. The court was hearing a petition filed by GulabPushpa Cooperative Housing Society Limited, that was declared an illegal construction. In the previous hearing, Advocate General A AKumbhakoni had told the court that Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, also called satellite mapping, is being carried out in 170 cities, of the 370 cities, and the state’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) is also planning to adopt a similar system to keep a check on illegal construction. On Friday, Kumbhakoni told the court that GIS mapping will be initiated in one area as a pilot project. Chief Justice Naresh H Patil and Justice N M Jamdar directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to tell them the name of the area they have selected for the first pilot project. Kumbhakoni also told the court that the government has consulted an expert from Germany, who was part of the team involved in a similar project at Hyderabad. He said a team of experts in the field had been formed.