The Survey of India has completed the mapping of rural habitation areas in 14,866 villages across Gujarat under the Centre's SVAMITVA scheme, laying a geospatial foundation for issuing legal property ownership documents to rural households. The milestone was announced on 2 November 2026 by the Gujarat, Daman and Diu Geospatial Directorate, headquartered in Gandhinagar.

Scope of the SVAMITVA Mapping Exercise

The mapping covers rural habitation areas across Gujarat, providing the data required to generate legally recognised property cards for villagers — many of whom previously lacked formal title to their homes. According to the directorate, the exercise forms part of a broader mandate that encompasses Gujarat, Daman and Diu, spanning geographies from the Rann of Kutch and the Saurashtra coastline to the Gulf of Khambhat and the coastal areas of Daman and Diu.

The Survey of India is deploying technologies including drones, LiDAR, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to carry out the work. 102 Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) have been established across Gujarat and Daman and Diu, offering real-time positioning with centimetre-level accuracy to surveyors, engineers, farmers and drone operators. So far, 1,042 users have registered to access the CORS facility.

What the Directorate Said

Siddhant Sen, Director of the Gujarat, Daman and Diu Geospatial Directorate, said the Survey of India — established in 1767 — had played a defining role in the country's geographical mapping for more than two and a half centuries. He noted that the institution began with the Great Trigonometrical Survey, in which surveyors used theodolites to traverse dense forests, deserts and mountainous terrain.

'The Survey of India also contributed to the printing of the original copy of the Constitution of India,' Sen said, adding that accurate geographical information was essential for planned development, particularly as India works towards the Viksit Bharat goal by 2047.

Urban and Infrastructure Projects

Beyond rural mapping, the directorate is supporting urban planning and infrastructure development across the state. Under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, mapping has been undertaken for 55 cities to support GIS-based development plans covering water supply, sewage systems and green spaces. The directorate is also mapping the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor for the Town Planning and Valuation Department.

In a project linked to critical national infrastructure, a LiDAR-based survey covering 121 square kilometres at Kakrapar has been completed for the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). Preparations are under way for a follow-on survey covering an additional 183 square kilometres. Separately, mapping of five cities has been completed under the NAKSHA project, a joint initiative of the Union Department of Land Resources and the Gujarat government aimed at modernising urban land records.

Historical Assets and Geodetic Infrastructure

The directorate also maintains significant historical geodetic assets, including a Great Trigonometrical Survey benchmark dating to 1890. Tide-gauge observatories at Vadinar, Porbandar, Okha and Kandla continuously monitor sea-level changes. Horizontal and vertical control points established across Gujarat serve as geographical reference frames for engineers and government agencies working on flood mapping, dam safety assessments, and road and canal planning.

With control point data now available through Geodetic Asset Registers, the directorate's work is expected to underpin a widening range of public projects as Gujarat's infrastructure pipeline expands.