Work to be completed by 2026 end
Srinagar, Mar 25: The Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department has adopted Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) to map and digitise forest boundaries across the Union Territory, aiming to improve accuracy, transparency and protection of forest land.
Jammu and Kashmir spans 42,241 sq km, of which 20,194 sq km, or 47.80 per cent, is under forest cover. The Kashmir region accounts for 8,128 sq km, with Kupwara recording the highest forest cover at 71.58 per cent, followed by Baramulla at 58.63 per cent.
The department began a re-survey of forest boundaries in 2021 and introduced DGPS technology in 2025. As of January 2026, 50,567 boundary pillars have been installed in Kashmir out of 57,998, while 111 of 578 forests have been digitised, covering 9,454 pillars.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir, Irfan Rasool Wani, said DGPS has improved accuracy and efficiency in demarcation. He said the technology helps locate and reinstall boundary pillars with centimetre-level precision, reducing chances of disputes and encroachments. He added that the department aims to complete the exercise by the end of 2026.
“The demarcation of forests in Jammu and Kashmir dates back to 1914, when rules were sanctioned during the Maharaja’s administration. These were strengthened in 1924 through surveys that separated forest land from revenue areas and led to the creation of records such as demarcation maps, pillar descriptions and the Register of Forest Areas,” Wani said.
The CCF said these rules have guided forest demarcation for over a century and led to records like Nakshai Hadbandhi, Tashreeh Burjiyat and the forest area register. The natural factors and human interference often damage or displace boundary pillars, making repeated demarcation labour-intensive and time-consuming, he added.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Kehmil, Kupwara, Faisal Farooq said the Kehmil Forest Division has also produced a film on DGPS-based digitisation of forest boundary pillars, released on March 24 on the occasion of the International Day of Forests by Minister Javed Ahmed Rana. The film, he said, showcases field work and the use of technology in forest boundary mapping.
“Earlier, GPS systems had an accuracy of 3 to 5 metres, which posed challenges in precise mapping. With DGPS, we now achieve survey-grade accuracy at the centimetre level,” Farooq said, adding that the system uses satellites, field receivers and a base station to correct positional errors in real time.
DFO said once surveys are completed, boundaries are digitised into accurate maps that will serve as reliable references for future demarcation and help make the process faster and more efficient.
