The spatial mapping project, is being implemented on funding by the World Bank and around Rs 30 crores is being invested initially to map around 51 cities and towns in the state. This project is being carried out under the Karnataka Municipal Reform Project (KMRP) Speaking to Express, Ashok Jain, General Manager of KUIDFC (Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corportaion ), which is the nodal agency for the spatial mapping project, said that, the main aim of this project is to develop a mapping database by mapping the entire state using satellite imagery. The project is being implemented on the initiative of the World Bank. “Initially the plan was to map around 202 cities, but to begin with we are mapping around 51 cities now.” A senior official of the Urban Development Department, which is the implementing authority, said that, this is the first time that cities apart from Bangalore are being mapped. The plan is to map around 51 major towns in Karnataka and these 51 towns constitute around 50 percent of the total urban area.” Satellite imagery from ICON, an American satellite is being used. The official said that ICON has a better resolution than Indian satellites, which will help in utility mapping.

The project is still in the preliminary stage but officials said it will be completed by around 2011 end. A pilot project has been given to the state remote sensing agency and it will be distributed as packages, since, according to the World Bank terms and conditions, there should be no single source.