Survey of India

Last updated

Survey of India
Survey of India logo.jpg
Survey and mapping agency overview
Formed1767;257 years ago (1767) [1]
Jurisdiction Government of India
HeadquartersHathibarkala Estate, New Cantt Road, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India [2]
Minister responsible
Survey and mapping agency executive
Parent department Department of Science and Technology
Website surveyofindia.gov.in
A map showing the triangles and transects used in the Great Trigonometrical Survey (1802-1852), produced in 1870. Index chart of the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India.jpg
A map showing the triangles and transects used in the Great Trigonometrical Survey (1802–1852), produced in 1870.
Surveyor-General of India George Everest (b.1790-d.1866) under whom GTS was completed and Mount Everest was named in his honour. GeorgeEverest.jpeg
Surveyor-General of India George Everest (b.1790-d.1866) under whom GTS was completed and Mount Everest was named in his honour.

The Survey of India is India's central engineering agency in charge of mapping and surveying. [3] Set up in 1767 [4] to help consolidate the territories of the British East India Company, it is one of the oldest Engineering Departments of the Government of India. Its members are from Survey of India Service cadre of Civil Services of India. It is headed by the Surveyor General of India. At present, the Surveyor General is Hitesh Kumar S. Makwana.

Contents

History

The history of the Survey of India dates back to the 18th century. [5] "First modern scientific survey of India" was undertaken by John Mather in 179396 on instructions of Superintendent of Salem and Baramahal, Col. Alexander Read. The present Dharmapuri district, Krishnagiri district and North Arcot in western Tamil Nadu were then called Baramahal. [6]

The Great Trigonometrical Survey (18021852) was started by British surveyor Col. William Lambton on 10 April 1802, heading from St. Thomas Mount in Chennai to the foothills of the Himalayas.[ citation needed ] 36 inch huge half ton weight Theodolite was used, which took 57 days to measure the 12-km base line. This 5-decade project was completed under Survey General Lt. George Everest in the year 1852. Pioneering mathematician and Surveyor Radhanath Sikdar measured Mount Everest in 1852, with a height of 29,002 feet. Modern measurements indicate the height is 29,037 feet. This is regarded as the beginning of a new age of systematic topographical mapping in India succeeding the classical age, and the founding of one of the oldest survey and mapping agencies in the world.

Organisation

The Survey of India, headquartered at Dehradun, Uttarakhand, has 18 geospatial divisions ranging from the prediction of tides to aerial survey. It has 23 Geo-spatial Data Centers spread across India, each catering to the respective administrative area. Surveyors are the backbone of Survey of India. Appointments to Group 'A' Civil Stream posts in the Junior Time Scale (Dy Supdtg Surveyor) in Survey of India are made on the basis of competitive Indian Engineering Services examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission . The important posts/ grades in Survey of India are in the following order of seniority: Draftsman, Plane Tabler, Survey Assistant, Surveyor, Officer Surveyor, Deputy Superintending Surveyor, Superintending Surveyor, Superintending Surveyor (Non-Functional Second Grade)/Deputy Director, Director/Deputy Surveyor General, Additional Surveyor General, Surveyor General.

Responsibilities

Maps

The Survey of India publishes maps and the unrestricted category maps can be obtained from its several Geo-spatial data centers. Restricted category maps require due approval from government authorities. Many other rules govern the sale and use of Survey of India maps. Only an Indian citizen may purchase topographic maps and these may not be exported from India for any reason. [7] On 15 February 2021, the Government of India announced changes to the country's mapping policy which frees up lot of earlier restrictions related to mapping. [8] A list of restrictions proposed is published by DST for comments by 30 July 2021. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surveying</span> Science of determining the positions of points and the distances and angles between them

Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. These points are usually on the surface of the Earth, and they are often used to establish maps and boundaries for ownership, locations, such as the designed positions of structural components for construction or the surface location of subsurface features, or other purposes required by government or civil law, such as property sales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Everest</span> British surveyor and geographer (1790–1866)

Sir George Everest, was a British surveyor and geographer who served as Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topographic map</span> Medium to large scale map that shows a precise map of the terrain

In modern mapping, a topographic map or topographic sheet is a type of map characterized by large-scale detail and quantitative representation of relief features, usually using contour lines, but historically using a variety of methods. Traditional definitions require a topographic map to show both natural and artificial features. A topographic survey is typically based upon a systematic observation and published as a map series, made up of two or more map sheets that combine to form the whole map. A topographic map series uses a common specification that includes the range of cartographic symbols employed, as well as a standard geodetic framework that defines the map projection, coordinate system, ellipsoid and geodetic datum. Official topographic maps also adopt a national grid referencing system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topography</span> Study of the forms of land surfaces

Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency</span> US DoD division

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a combat support agency within the United States Department of Defense whose primary mission is collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of national security. Initially known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) from 1996 to 2003, it is a member of the United States Intelligence Community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nain Singh</span> Pundit who explored the Himalayas for the British

Nain Singh, also known as Nain Singh Rawat, was one of the first Indian explorers employed by the British to explore the Himalayas and Central Asia. He came from the Johar Valley in Kumaon. He surveyed the trade route through Ladakh to Tibet, determined the location and altitude of Lhasa in Tibet, and surveyed a large section of Brahmaputra. He walked "1,580 miles, or 3,160,000 paces, each counted."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geomatics</span> Geographic data discipline

Geomatics is defined in the ISO/TC 211 series of standards as the "discipline concerned with the collection, distribution, storage, analysis, processing, presentation of geographic data or geographic information". Under another definition, it consists of products, services and tools involved in the collection, integration and management of geographic (geospatial) data. Surveying engineering was the widely used name for geomatic(s) engineering in the past. Geomatics was placed by the UNESCO Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems under the branch of technical geography.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radhanath Sikdar</span> Indian mathematician (1813–1870)

Radhanath Sikdar was an Indian mathematician who is best known for calculating the height of Mount Everest. He was the first person to calculate the height of Mount Everest, in 1852.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pundit (explorer)</span> Native explorers who assisted British surveys of Asia

The term pundit was used in the second half of the 19th century to denote native Indian surveyors used by the British to secretly explore regions north of British India. The Pundit was the code-name for one of the first native explorers, Nain Singh, who was originally a schoolteacher. His accomplishments were so remarkable that the whole group of around twenty native explorers became known as the Pundits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Trigonometrical Survey</span> 19th-century survey to measure the Indian subcontinent

The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India was a project that aimed to carry out a survey across the Indian subcontinent with scientific precision. It was begun in 1802 by the British infantry officer William Lambton, under the auspices of the East India Company. Under the leadership of his successor, George Everest, the project was made the responsibility of the Survey of India. Everest was succeeded by Andrew Scott Waugh, and after 1861, the project was led by James Walker, who oversaw its completion in 1871.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Scott Waugh</span> British Army officer and Surveyor General of India

Major General Sir Andrew Scott Waugh was a British army officer and Surveyor General of India who worked in the Great Trigonometrical Survey. He served under Sir George Everest and succeeded him in 1843. Waugh established a gridiron system of traverses for covering northern India. Waugh is credited with naming the peak of Mount Everest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Cartographic Association</span> International organization

The International Cartographic Association (ICA) is an organization formed of national member organizations, to provide a forum for issues and techniques in cartography and geographic information science (GIScience). ICA was founded on June 9, 1959, in Bern, Switzerland. The first General Assembly was held in Paris in 1961. The mission of the International Cartographic Association is to promote the disciplines and professions of cartography and GIScience in an international context. To achieve these aims, the ICA works with national and international governmental and commercial bodies, and with other international scientific societies.

The cartography of India begins with early charts for navigation and constructional plans for buildings. Indian traditions influenced Tibetan and Islamic traditions, and in turn, were influenced by the British cartographers who solidified modern concepts into India's map making.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National mapping agency</span> Organisation that produces maps and geographic information of a country

A national mapping agency (NMA) is an organisation, usually publicly owned, that produces topographic maps and geographic information of a country. Some national mapping agencies also deal with cadastral matters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethiopian Mapping Agency</span> Ethiopian government agency

The Ethiopian Mapping Agency (EMA) is an Ethiopian government agency, a department within the Ministry of Finance and Cooperation, that is responsible for cartographic mapping and remote sensing activities in Ethiopia. The EMA has expanded its operation to include a comprehensive map revision program in addition to various phases of digital mapping and information technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile mapping</span>

Mobile mapping is the process of collecting geospatial data from a mobile vehicle, typically fitted with a range of GNSS, photographic, radar, laser, LiDAR or any number of remote sensing systems. Such systems are composed of an integrated array of time synchronised navigation sensors and imaging sensors mounted on a mobile platform. The primary output from such systems include GIS data, digital maps, and georeferenced images and video.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Survey of Pakistan</span>

Survey of Pakistan is the sole national mapping and land surveying government agency of Pakistan. Its head of department is titles as "Surveyor General of Pakistan".

The Indian Institute of Surveying & Mapping (IISM), formerly known as Survey Training Institute, is an institution of Survey Education, learning and training. It is situated at the Survey of India campus in Uppal, Hyderabad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Map Service</span> Military unit

The Army Map Service (AMS) was the military cartographic agency of the United States Department of Defense from 1941 to 1968, subordinated to the United States Army Corps of Engineers. On September 1, 1968, the AMS was redesignated the U.S. Army Topographic Command (USATC) and continued as an independent organization until January 1, 1972, when it was merged into the new Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) and redesignated as the DMA Topographic Center (DMATC). On October 1, 1996, DMA was folded into the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), which was redesignated as the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute</span>

The Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI) is the professional association for surveyors and spatial science workers, including cartography, hydrography, remote sensing, engineering and mining surveying, photogrammetry and spatial information in Australia. The Institute's members are involved in communities of practice such as land administration, land development, natural resource management, forestry, agriculture, defence, marine environment, local government, health, education, transport, tourism, and many more. The institute deals with policy, administration, collection, measurement, analysis, interpretation, portrayal and dissemination of spatially- related land and sea information, together with associated planning, design and management.

References

  1. "About Us". Survey of India. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  2. "Contact us". Survey of India. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  3. On 250th birthday, Survey of India wants to shed its cloak of secrecy Archived 29 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine , Indian Express.
  4. St. Peter Church Allahabad Archived 17 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine .
  5. Dean, Riaz (2019). Mapping The Great Game: Explorers, Spies & Maps in Nineteenth-century Asia. Oxford: Casemate (UK). pp. 72–83. ISBN   978-1-61200-814-1.
  6. Baramahal records Vol.I P.220, In Letter Dated 04.10.1797 The British Government appreciated Col. Alexander Read.
  7. "Restriction on maps in India". 3 December 2010. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  8. Chaudhary, Swapnil (17 February 2021). "New mapping policy". Policy Code. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  9. "Tentative List of Features/Installations and their sensitive attributes with reference to para 8(iii)(a) of the "Guidelines for acquiring and producing Geospatial Data and Geospatial Data Services including Maps" issued on 15.02.2021" (PDF). Policy Code. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2022.

Further reading