Ludhiana’s property plates project stuck in 12-year digital limbo.

Ludhiana: A decade-long effort to modernise the local property tracking system remains in limbo after two failed attempts to install unique identification plates across the city.The municipal corporation project, first proposed in 2014, aimed to fix a permanent UID number and QR code to every home and business. The system would allow officials to instantly scan a property to check for unpaid taxes, water bills, and sewage dues. However, after 12 years of planning and aborted starts, the initiative has stalled with no clear timeline for resumption.The most recent attempt under the Smart City Mission collapsed after a dispute between the civic body and its contractor. While the project aimed to cover the entire city, work stopped after the installation of just 85,000 plates.Disagreements arose when officials ordered a drone-based survey to replace the initially contracted GIS-based method. Even though the ₹5.7 crore project removed the previous ₹110 fee for residents, it still failed to meet its extended 2025 deadline.Municipal officials now claim that a complete resurvey is necessary. The last comprehensive count in 2014 recorded 4 lakh properties, a figure that has grown significantly over the last decade. Without an updated database, the existing UID records remain disconnected from the city's current urban sprawl.Municipal commissioner Neeru Katyal Gupta said the project remained a priority despite the setbacks. She indicated that the city was exploring central-govt schemes to secure fresh funding and revive the installation process.The project's history is defined by logistical hurdles. A 2017 rollout managed to cover only 35,000 houses before stopping because residents refused to pay for the plates. While the second phase solved the payment issue, bureaucratic indecision and contractual friction again left the city's streets without the promised digital identification. MSID:: 130976973 413 |