AMC seeks private assistance in preparing GIS-based DP plan!

Aurangabad, May 12:

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has geared up to hire a private agency for preparing the GIS-based Development Plan (DP) of Aurangabad. Meanwhile, the eyebrows are being raised as the task is responsible and has to be kept confidential, then why the services of a private partner is sought, then the key officers, on condition of anonymity, clarified that it is an order of the state government!

Earlier, the state government has directed the AMC to revise and submit an integrated development plan including old city and its extended area.

A town planning expert said, “ The Government of Maharashtra (GoM) has directed all the planning authorities to prepare the DP on Geographic Information System (GIS) platform in January 2019. Accordingly, the assistance of private partner is sought to prepare the GIS-based DP plan as per the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, (MRTP Act) 1966 and TPS-

1818/1489/303/18/Nv-13 (Dated January 25, 2019). The state had also deployed a DP Unit to prepare the plan. It will synchronise the existing land use (ELU) and the proposed land use (PLU) on GIS map.

The ELU map highlighting administrative boundaries, demarcation of zones, existing geographical features, transportation network and socio-economic data is ready. The process to drafting PLU map is underway. It will mention allocation (or reservation) of land for different purposes like residential, industrial, commercial, agricultural, recreational, open spaces, transport and communications, water supply, drainage, sewerage disposal, other public utilities development, service industries, industrial estates etc."

Under the guidance of the DP unit, the private agency will collect data and pictures captured during the drone survey and prepare an accurate base map. The map will be showing jurisdiction of authority, village boundaries, gaothan boundaries, survey numbers, existing roads, rivers, lakes, nullahs, water bodies with direction of flow, boundaries and zoning of any type of ecologically sensitive or prohibited area, defence land, protected forest areas, sites of historical and archaeological importance, boundaries and zoning of existing industrial establishments, it is learnt

The GIS-based DP will also have clear marking of marginal distances for flood control and prevention of river pollution, height restrictions along funnel zone of airport, restricted areas around defence establishments.

Earlier, the AMC commissioner A K Pandey had announced that the GIS based information is already available with the Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) and it would be utilised in preparation of the development plan, but the speculations are at rife since the AMC geared up to

appoint a private agency? The ASCDCL through Amnex Technologies has conducted drone survey and have done GIS mapping of properties (all types) in the jurisdiction of AMC.

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When contacted the Head (of DP Unit) and Deputy Director (Town Planning) Raza Khan said,” The ELU has been completed and the PLU will be finalised soon. The private agency appointed by AMC will assist us in finalising the draft of GIS-based DP. The agency will procure all the information (data and pictures) collected during the drone survey and incorporate it into the base map. The agency will also assist DP-unit in making recommended corrections (after completing the process of hearing on the comments and objections on PLU map) in the proposed land use and submitting the DP for the approval to the state government. The process of finalising the plan will be kept confidential and will not have any involvement of private agency beyond its prescribed limit.”