HYDERABAD: The Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad's prestigious project of developing an integrated GIS system with complete information on people, properties and public utilities has a starting problem.

Barely a few days into mapping and data collection, survey teams who have fanned out to some localities have been facing resistance from citizens. Either the watchmen stop them or people stonewall their questions, simply refusing to give any information or parting with just a little.

Some say the corporation already has enough information, so no more surveys will be entertained. Officials accept that citizens, being skeptical of the exercise, are reluctant to provide even basic information.

"We are at our wits' end on how to convince the people about the importance of the study. Despite carrying official identification papers our men are not being allowed inside," rues an official.

Behind schedule

The work started a few days behind schedule last week with two survey teams making the visit to all premises to `map' buildings/portions as per the true dimensions. Since they are armed with a satellite photo they already have "50 per cent" of information and the rest is calculated either by sheer observation or measuring the "outside boundaries".

"We are not going to enter any house and the digital photograph too, would be taken from outside," affirms an official.

Second part of the preliminary enquiry is to elicit basic information on name, occupation, family size, occupants in a house, information of power, phone, water and gas connections, etc. This is where the teams have faced sealed lips or are simply shooed away. "We are not going to raise taxes. The data will help us and other civic departments offer better services and also help in emergency situations. It will be used for issuing passports, ration cards, police complaint, etc.," says Additional Commissioner (Finance & IT) B. Ramesh Babu.

Officials are sure that the number of un-assessed and under-assessed properties likely to be unearthed during the process alone will swell the corporation's kitty.

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