Digital Land Survey implementation drawbacks for the Department of Land Records and

Surveys (DLRS)

BYMd. Mominur Rashid

Charge Officer

What is Digital Land Survey

• Digital Land Survey is the art, science and technology of locating, establishing, defining and describing property boundaries, lines for construction, and the nature of the natural and artificial characteristics of the land.

• Government has decided to do Digital Survey instead of Manual Survey from next and for this reason Manual Survey is stopped in the whole country.

Equipment needed for Digital Land Surveying and Preparation of Map

• Global Positioning System (GPS)• Electronic Total Station Machine (ETS)• Prism (Single and Double)• Pillar (GPS & Tri-junction)• Laptop for Field Data Processing• Hi configured and ARCGIS Software enabled Desktop Computer• Large Format Scanner.• Plotter/ Printer (Large Format, Laser/ Deskjet Laser Plotter is

preferable so that the final publication of required number (100) map sheet can be printed and transferred to DC Office)

• Qualified Surveyor (With good command in GPS & ETS)• Qualified Draftsman (With good command in ARCGIS Software and

Data Processing)

• Platform (Software) for storage of processed Map data (Meta Data) for future use.

• Huge number of Map Printing for final publication and gazette notification (If laser plotter is purchased then no need of extra press).

Equipment needed for Digital Land Surveying and Preparation of Map

What is Done in Digital Land Survey• GPS • At first GNSS point is taken from the Survey of

Bangladesh (SOB)• Based on GNSS point minimum two Ground

Control Point (GCP) is established through GPS in every Mouza.

• GCP/ GPS Pillar is established with coordinate marked on the pillar

• Traverse Survey is done through ETS machine

• Tri-junction Pillar is established.• Cadastral Survey is made through ETS.• Data Processing is done everyday and printing is made based on

observation missing plot data is taken at the next day.• Map is made through ARCGIS software.• Boundary demarcation/ Mouza adjustment is made by scanning of

previous survey map as well as adjacent mouza map through overlay.• Printing of Map is made through Large format plotter/ Printer• Two copies of every map sheet is made (One with RS Map plot showed

and another showing present map with Area)• Map is then ready for Khanapuri cum Bhuzarat.• After Khanapuri cum Bhuzarat and Attestation the Map is finally

corrected and printed showing Plot number and other legend, layout.

What is Done in Digital Land Survey

• 1 GPS for two GCP point in 5 days for 1 mouza• 1 mouza cadastral survey by 5 surveyors in 1 month (big size

mouza)• 10 chainman or khalashi for 1 mouza in 1 month• 1 processor/ 1 draftsman for final map preparation in 10

days including scanning and other works.• In 3 month 3 mouza cadastral• Next 3 month khanapuri cum bhuzarat by 5 surveyors• So 5 surveyors needed for 3 mouza in 1 jarip year to

complete khanapuri cum bhuzarat (if GPS, Pillar expenses, chainman, ETS, Plotter, Scanner, budget, is provided and work schedule is approved earlier)

What is needed to be Done in Digital Land Survey

• With 12 ETS Machine• 12 Surveyor (with 24 Chainman) can do cadastral

survey with Khanapuri cum Bhuzarat of maximum 8 Mouza in one Survey season

• if GPS, Pillar expenses, chainman, ETS, Plotter, Scanner, budget, is provided and work schedule is approved earlier).

• So to complete the rest of the mouza (65) of Savar upazila it will be needed 12 surveyor with 12 ETS machine of 8 survey season (year).

• Is it Viable for DLRS.

What is needed to be Done in Digital Land Survey

Problem facing to do Digital Survey (facts)

• To approve the decision of Digital survey takes 1-2 month.

• Only 2 GPS for the whole country (Controlled by DLRS head Office)

• To get permission of establishing GCP Point takes 1-2 month (due to formalities)

• To get GNSS point from SOB takes 5 days.• To get permission and budget provision for required

number of Chainman, Sardar Amin takes 1-2 month.• To appoint Sardar Amin and Chainman it takes

another 1 month.

• Only limited number of ETS machine with qualified surveyor having good command on ETS, GPS.

• To get prior budget provision of establishing GCP point and Tri-junction pillar takes much time (1-4 month) and also the budget provided is not sufficient.

• There is no Large Format Scanner.• There is no Laser Plotter (Need to depend on DLRS GIS

Section for printing of draft map sheet with approval from authority)

• Sometimes Toner and paper of Deskjet Plotter is insufficiently supplied.

Problem facing to do Digital Survey (Facts)

Money involvement to equip one Zonal Settlement Office for Digital Survey and

Settlement Operation.

Equipment Cost• Minimum 1 GPS 25,00,000• Minimum 20 ETS 2,00,00,000• Minimum 1 Large Format Scanner 5,00,000• Minimum 1 Large Format Laser Plotter 15,00,000• Minimum 20 Laptop Computer 10,00,000• Minimum 5 Desktop Computer 2,50,000• Minimum 1 ARCGIS Software 25,00,000• Minimum Training Cost (includes TA/DA) 20,00,000• Total Cost 3,02,50,000

So What’s next…….• Due to decision of continuing/ starting Digital Land

Survey instead of Manual Survey, the DLRS with its field office is practically hanged (not in operation) because of no new survey and settlement operation there.

• Only DLRS head office is capable to run traverse survey and establishing GCP point with limited basis.

• Only Dhaka Zonal Settlement has some equipment and qualified manpower to do digital survey though not fully equipped.

• Other Zonal Settlement Office has no equipment and qualified man power to do Digital Survey.

• So Before collapsing the field office of DLRS further decision to be taken whether huge amount of money to be spent for purchasing required number of different types of equipment's (GPS, ETS, Large format Scanner and Laser Plotter) and

• Training to be provided for the Surveyor, Draftsman etc. to Do digital Survey

Or• Continuing the present Manual Survey operation up to

that time (Equipped with Digital Survey technology).

So What’s next…….