Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday reviewed the progress of the GIS-based Urban Management System project being implemented by the Urban Development and Housing Department through JUIDCO. During the review meeting, he emphasized the need for transparent, efficient, and data-driven urban governance across the state.
The meeting was attended by Urban Development and Housing Minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu, Development Commissioner Ajay Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary (Road Construction and Urban Development & Housing) Sunil Kumar, Planning and Development Secretary Mukesh Kumar, SUDA Director Sourav Kumar, along with several senior officials.
Pilot Project Covering Ranchi, Dhanbad and Giridih
Officials informed the Chief Minister that the project has been launched as a pilot initiative in three municipal corporations—Ranchi, Dhanbad, and Giridih.
A key milestone of the project includes the successful completion of aerial LiDAR surveys in all three cities. Work on digital mapping, GIS layer creation, and data processing is currently in progress.
The pilot phase aims to establish a robust geospatial database that will serve as the foundation for advanced urban planning and governance.
GIS-Based Digital Mapping of Urban Assets
Under the initiative, a comprehensive GIS-enabled digital platform is being developed to support geo-tagging-based property surveys and detailed mapping of urban infrastructure.
The system will include:
- Buildings and property mapping
- Roads and street infrastructure
- Street lighting networks
- Electricity poles and utilities
- Water bodies and water resources
This digital infrastructure is expected to create accurate, real-time urban data, improving planning and management efficiency across municipal bodies.
Focus on Transparency, Revenue Strengthening and Service Delivery
Chief Minister Hemant Soren directed officials to ensure that the project is completed within the stipulated timelines and with high quality standards.
He emphasized that the GIS-based system should strengthen urban governance by:
- Enhancing transparency in municipal operations
- Improving asset and revenue management
- Supporting better delivery of civic services
- Enabling evidence-based urban planning
He further noted that the initiative would bring scientific precision to urban planning and make local bodies more accountable and efficient.
Expansion Plan for Other Urban Local Bodies
The Chief Minister also instructed the department to prepare a phased expansion plan based on learnings from the pilot project.
He directed officials to conduct a detailed analysis of the pilot outcomes and extend the GIS-based system to other urban local bodies across Jharkhand in a structured manner.
The expansion aims to ensure statewide adoption of modern digital tools for urban management.
Towards Smart and Data-Driven Urban Governance in Jharkhand
The state government has set a broader vision of transforming urban governance using GIS technology. The objective is to make urban planning, infrastructure management, land administration, traffic systems, and civic service delivery more:
- Smart
- Transparent
- Accountable
- Efficient
Officials stated that the integrated GIS platform will play a key role in improving monitoring, accelerating development projects, and ensuring better service delivery to citizens.
