Ranchi Municipal Corporation Launches Land Survey to Curb Encroachment

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The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has ordered a detailed survey and demarcation of its land parcels after detecting multiple encroachment cases using drone surveillance. The directive, issued by Municipal Commissioner Sushant Gaurav, aims to safeguard public property and support future infrastructure planning.

Deputy Commissioner Gautam Prasad Sahu noted that the initiative will help identify unused municipal land, including plots previously misused or illegally occupied. Some unauthorized structures, such as sheds near Harmu, were already removed following drone alerts. The exercise will be supported by GIS mapping and technology-based land management to enhance transparency and minimize disputes. Officials have been asked to finalize the consolidated survey report promptly.

Identified plots will either be developed for public amenities, including community halls, playgrounds, women’s centres, and public toilets, or secured with barricades and warning signage to deter future encroachments.

This initiative comes amid heightened enforcement efforts across Ranchi. In past operations, the RMC, with district authorities, removed vendors and illegal stalls in areas such as Doranda and Harmu, especially near schools and religious sites, as part of anti-encroachment drives to restore public spaces and maintain civic order.

Additionally, the Jharkhand High Court has recently mandated officials to act aggressively against encroachments around critical water bodies, including Kanke and Dhurwa dams. The court has asked the government to designate these catchment areas as ‘no-entry zones’ and erect barbed wire fencing to protect them from illegal construction.

Ranchi district officials have also instructed local administrators to identify government-owned land and closely monitor transactions to ensure public property is not misused or transferred illicitly.

The RMC’s new survey initiative is seen as a proactive step toward preserving municipal assets and ensuring transparency in urban governance. A timely report and follow-up actions could strengthen public trust and create a model for land protection in other urban centres.