ISRO teams up with Urban Development ministry, to map 4041 towns

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has tied up with the Union Urban Development Ministry for mapping over 500 towns and cities, to make a base plan for better planning and management which will further help the town planners to prepare a master plan for many fast urbanising local bodies. The mapping is being currently done for municipal local bodies with a population of more than one lakh and it is expected to start by September, 2015.
• As per the official report, a small per cent of the cities have been mapped. This project can cover around 500 urban areas, which will be later taken to 4,041. The report also added that over 2,500 town planners have been roped in and trained on how to use the base plan which in turn can help urban planners prepare a better master plan.
• ISRO has diversified operations under Bhuvan Application Services, country’s geo-platform launched in 2009 like 1 meter satellite images for more than 300 cities in the country and 3D city models with extrusions of the buildings and virtual city models, which would be a useful tool for Smart City Programme of the government. The space agency will also map and provide management plans for heritage sites and monuments of national importance.

Important Point to remember:

• Ministry of Urban Development is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to the housing and urban development in India.
• Union Minister of Urban Development – Venkaiah Naidu.
• Chairman of ISRO – A S Kiran Kumar
• Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which has the Department of Space under it – Jitendra Singh