Key Points
- NAKSHA inquiry runs from 16 July to 14 August 2026 in Margao and Cuncolim
- Survey maps urban land parcels digitally without altering existing property titles
- Property owners must appear with title documents at ISLR office in Margao
The Directorate of Settlement and Land Records (DSLR) in Goa has launched a month-long inquiry under the NAKSHA pilot programme, requiring property owners in Margao, Cuncolim and Panaji to verify their land records against new digital maps between 16 July and 14 August 2026.
NAKSHA, which stands for National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations, is a GIS-based mapping initiative that creates digital records of land parcels in urban areas. GIS, or Geographic Information System, is a technology that captures, stores and analyses geographic data to produce detailed digital maps.
The programme operates under the Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), a central government initiative managed by the Department of Land Resources (DoLR) that aims to digitise land records across states and Union Territories.
What NAKSHA does and does not do
According to official guidance issued by the state administration, the survey will not alter existing land records or property titles. The exercise is designed to create accurate digital maps for town planning, infrastructure management and public utility planning, not to redistribute land or change ownership records.
The administration has stated that NAKSHA is neither a land acquisition scheme nor a tax collection exercise. Existing legal disputes over land will continue to be resolved through established legal and administrative channels, unaffected by the mapping process.
The state government has addressed concerns raised by property owners who cannot be present during the survey, including Non-Resident Goans. According to official statements, physical absence during a field survey does not affect property rights or legal ownership.
The NAKSHA workflow includes multiple verification stages and formally notified public verification windows designed to protect the interests of absent owners. Legal ownership continues to follow existing titles and cannot be claimed by a neighbour simply because they were present during a survey session.
How property owners can participate
The inquiry follows a ground-truthing phase in which electronic mapping data was verified against actual field conditions. Property owners in the pilot areas must appear before the designated Inspector at the Office of the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR), located at Osia Commercial Arcade, SGPDA Market, Margao.
Owners are required to bring their property title documents. The government has stated that technical survey knowledge is not required, as appointed officials will guide participants through the verification process step by step.
The pilot covers urban and peri-urban habitations in Margao, Cuncolim and Panaji. Once complete, the verified digital records will form part of the national effort to modernise land documentation across the country.
Your Questions, Answered
Will NAKSHA change my existing land title or property records?
No. According to the Goa state administration, the NAKSHA survey creates digital maps for planning purposes and does not alter existing land records, titles or ownership documents.
What happens if I am not in Goa during the NAKSHA survey?
The government has stated that physical absence during the survey does not affect property rights. The NAKSHA process includes multiple verification stages and public verification windows to protect absent owners.
What documents do I need to bring for the NAKSHA verification?
Property owners must bring their property title documents to the Office of the Inspector of Survey and Land Records at Osia Commercial Arcade, SGPDA Market, Margao.
Is NAKSHA a land acquisition or tax collection scheme?
No. The government has confirmed NAKSHA is solely for creating digital land maps to support town planning and infrastructure management. It is not connected to land acquisition or property tax increases.
