Bengaluru: In a tech-driven push to protect public land, revenue department has verified over 13.9 lakh govt land parcels under Land Beat digital surveillance programme over the past two years, flagging encroachment on around 90,000 plots across Karnataka.Launched to strengthen surveillance and safeguard state assets, the exercise gathered pace rapidly in 2024 — verification rose from 27,380 parcels in March 2024 to over 10.7 lakh by July, crossing 13 lakh by Sept that year. As of Dec 24, 2025, verification stood at 13,94,519 parcels. Officials said a larger number of parcels showed varying degrees of intrusion, requiring another survey and classification.The checks were carried out by village accountants and village administrative officers (VAOs) using geo-fenced mobile applications, which required officers to physically visit each parcel, walk its boundaries, and upload photographs and short videos. The system prevented data entry from offices, ensuring on-ground verification. Officials said the findings underline the need for a system-driven overhaul of land governance, an area that directly affects livelihoods, family assets, and public infrastructure.Rajendra Kumar Kataria, principal secretary, revenue department, said: “The Land Beat system was designed to bring discipline through digital checks and balances, removing discretion from routine processes that earlier depended heavily on manual intervention. Previously, due to work pressure and multiple responsibilities, many lost track of keeping a check on these lands. That is one of the reasons for bringing in this system.“The department emphasised that the exercise was not aimed at revenue collection but at land resource management. Priority was given to lakes, community assets, high-value govt land, and land required for public purposes such as schools, hospitals, burial grounds, anganwadis, PHCs, and electricity substations. As part of this focus, around 40,000 lakes across Karnataka were surveyed, their outer boundaries mapped, and encroachments identified. Deputy commissioners were directed to conduct at least one special encroachment-removal drive each month.With verification complete, the next step is encroachment removal, which is currently carried out offline. Officials said the department is working to digitise the entire removal process, including capturing geo-tagged photographs and videos, to improve transparency and prevent repeat encroachments. Pilot project to digitise encroachmentsA pilot project to digitise encroachments and removal processes has been under way in Chikkaballapur district for the past four to five months, officials said.Encroachments, officials added, typically occur due to weak surveillance and are often made by farmers extending cultivation or for housing purposes. However, they warned that such an occupation directly affects the govt’s ability to plan and deliver public infrastructure. Another official from the revenue department said: “The govt does not have infinite land. If public land is encroached upon, it limits our ability to set up schools, hospitals, industries, and other essential infrastructure. We cannot keep acquiring land endlessly.”To sustain the reforms, the department is also working towards an annual land audit that will map govt, private, and granted land village-wise, while strengthening the digital delivery of orders via SMS, WhatsApp, and email to reduce harassment and litigation. Officials said the reforms aim to restore public trust in land administration by ensuring transparency, speed, and accountability in a system that affects thousands of families across the state.
