Bengaluru: The Survey Settlement and Land Records (SSLR) Department has developed a mobile phone application that can be used to locate properties on a digital map, the State government told the Karnataka High Court on Friday.

Munish Moudgil, Commissioner for SSLR, made submissions in this regard during a proceeding through which the court is monitoring the steps initiated by the State to regulate immovable properties by digitising property details, linking the digital information among different departments to prevent formation of illegal layouts and other irregularities in property transactions.

The Commissioner told the court that the department is conducting a survey of four lakh properties under the first phase of the Urban Property Ownership Record (UPOR) project in 50 wards of the city in 18 months, and the rest of the wards will be covered in subsequent phases as the Cabinet has given its nod for only the first phase.

Meanwhile, Mr. Moudgil said the geo-referencing of digitised survey maps of all 240 revenue villages coming under BBMP had started and the process in respect of five villages have been completed.

The mobile app allows the department and citizens to click on geo-stamp photo of the properties for identifying the location of properties and such data can be made use of during the registration or transactions related to the respective properties.

He also told the court that a system is being developed for simultaneous exchange of property related data between the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and the Stamps and Registration Department to keep track of transaction of all the properties.