In an effort to better track illegal constructions, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has launched a new digital platform called Netram to identify new encroachments across the city.
The platform, developed at a cost of Rs 71 lakh, uses satellite images from different years to show where new structures have emerged.
According to a senior official, it was an initiative of SRA CEO Mahendra Kalyankar. “Through this platform, changes, additions and deletions in encroachments between years are clearly marked, and each part of the map comes with location details including land owning authority, CTS number, district etc., making it easy to issue notices to the structure,” the official said.
Currently, Netram contains satellite images from the year 2000, which is the deadline for slum rehabilitation eligibility, 2011, another important cutoff year, and more recent images from 2012, 2024, and 2025.
Officials said the system allows them to compare images from two different years using a simple slider tool. New invasions are marked in red. The platform can also point out increases in the height of structures by studying shadows in images. These records can be used as evidence in court cases to prove that encroachments occurred after the permitted dates.
The main goal, officials said, is to help eliminate encroachments that have emerged after the 2011 deadline.
Work on Netram began in January 2025 and has been refined over several months. It was developed in collaboration with BISAG N, a government agency involved in national infrastructure planning. The only cost involved was the purchase of satellite images from the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Applications Centre. Images on the platform will be updated periodically.
While the system makes it easier to identify new slums, taking action on the ground is a separate challenge.
The responsibility to act on the information lies with land owning authorities such as Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, MMRDA, MHADA, Collectorate and central government agencies. The SRA will act as a facilitator.
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“In December (2025), we started training authorities officials on how to use the platform, which will continue as the need arises. It will be up to them to take action on the findings,” the official said.
Before taking any action, officials must conduct a ground survey to confirm the findings. Photographs and details of these inspections can be uploaded via the Netram mobile app and stored in the system, making it easier to issue notices to illegal structures.
However, officials admitted that identifying intrusions does not always result in their removal, with authorities often pointing to heavy workloads and staff shortages.