The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has decided to undertake a comprehensive GIS mapping and biometric survey of slums in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad in an effort to create an accurate database of slum areas and residents and accelerate rehabilitation projects across both cities.
Currently, there are 557 slums within the two municipal limits. However, following the inclusion of 34 villages into the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, the jurisdiction of the SRA has expanded considerably. To determine the exact number of slums, their geographical boundaries, and details of residents in the newly expanded areas, the authority has initiated a large-scale survey process.
Officials said the GIS mapping work will be carried out by the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Applications Centre (MRSAC), while the tendering process for conducting biometric surveys is already in progress.
Under the project, drones will be used to conduct 3D mapping of slum settlements.
Each hutment will be assigned a unique identification number, while residents’ photographs and biometric fingerprints will also be collected. Authorities will simultaneously verify documents to prepare a precise and updated database of slum dwellers eligible for rehabilitation schemes.
The decision comes after the successful implementation of a pilot project in Laxminagar, which encouraged the SRA to expand the initiative across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
According to Satish Khadke, Chief Executive Officer of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority in Pune, the GIS mapping and biometric survey will help the authority obtain accurate information about slum areas and residents, which will improve planning and help resolve technical difficulties in future rehabilitation projects.
