Drone Mapping Project Aims to End Land Disputes for Sindhi Community in Ulhasnagar

Download IPFS

The Maharashtra government is set to launch a drone-based land mapping initiative in Ulhasnagar, aimed at granting property rights to Sindhi refugees who settled in the region after the Partition of India in 1947. The move is part of a broader policy to formalise land ownership for the Sindhi community, with the state planning to offer property titles at affordable rates to nearly half a million Sindhis across Maharashtra.

According to officials, the project will use advanced drone technology to create accurate and detailed maps of plots and structures in Ulhasnagar. These surveys will help resolve long-standing disputes over land ownership and pave the way for issuing clear legal titles. The exercise is designed not only to bring clarity to property records but also to strengthen legal protections for residents who have lived for decades without formal documentation.

The Sindhi community in Maharashtra, particularly in Ulhasnagar, largely consists of families displaced from Sindh, now in Pakistan, during the Partition. Many were resettled in the state but never received formal ownership rights to the land they occupied. Over the years, this lack of legal title has left residents vulnerable to disputes, encroachments, and limited access to property-based credit or development.

State officials have framed the initiative as both a matter of administrative reform and historical justice. “This step acknowledges the sacrifices and hardships faced by the Sindhi community post-Partition, while ensuring they enjoy the same legal protections as other citizens,” an official from the state revenue department said.

The initiative will begin in Ulhasnagar as a pilot project before being extended to other parts of the state with significant Sindhi populations. Once mapping is completed, the government plans to offer titles at concessional rates, easing the financial burden on beneficiaries while enabling them to secure their property rights.

Advocates for the community have welcomed the decision, noting that regularisation will help end decades of uncertainty and open up opportunities for redevelopment and investment. They also see it as a significant move towards correcting a long-standing oversight in post-Partition rehabilitation efforts.

By combining modern mapping technology with a targeted policy for a displaced community, Maharashtra’s government is positioning this initiative as both a development measure and a step towards resolving historical displacement and statelessness issues that have lingered for more than seven decades.