Panvel city is gearing up to make all its records available in electronic format. And this involves using GIS systems to give the city officials faster and more reliabel access to local conditions. [via]

To avoid wastage of time and to ensure that data on city related projects is made easily accessible, Panvel Municipal Council gears up to install an electronic version of all its filed records.

With an aim to provide a better administration, the Panvel Municipal Council (PMC) has initiated measures to implement Geographic Information System (GIS). The GIS, if implemented, will give the administration fast access on each and every aspect regarding city planning. [link]

The possibilities that GIS information systems bring is limitless. The entire USA has been documented in various layers of information to the point that you can pull up “all the fire hydrants in NYC that are within 50 feet of a subway entrance”. This kind of possibility helps city planners, police, fire brigade, and other essential services in times of disaster. They also help commerce and industry in ways, too long to describe here.

If the experiment succeds in Panvel, it would be great to see the whole of the Greater Bombay region and infact the whole country get on the GIS bandwagon.