RTI for Survey of India: Topographic Maps, Geospatial Data & Land Boundary Surveys

The Survey of India (SoI), established in 1767 and headquartered at Hathibarkala Estate, Dehradun, is India's oldest and most authoritative scientific department. It functions under the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. As the national mapping and survey organisation, SoI is responsible for producing topographic maps at various scales, maintaining geodetic and geoid data, conducting land boundary demarcation surveys at the request of central and state governments, and preserving a vast archive of cartographic records dating back to the colonial era. Because SoI is substantially financed by and wholly under the control of the Central Government, it is unambiguously a public authority within the meaning of Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, 2005.

SoI's work touches a wide range of stakeholders: academic researchers requiring geospatial datasets, journalists and policy analysts tracking border dispute resolutions, communities affected by land boundary demarcation surveys, authors and publishers seeking map reproduction permissions, and historians working with colonial-era cartographic archives. The Right to Information Act, 2005, is the most effective legal mechanism through which all these groups can obtain information from SoI that is not proactively disclosed on its website or through routine correspondence. This guide explains what you can ask for, which information may be legitimately withheld, how to file your application, and what to do if the response is inadequate.

Topographic Map Availability, Pricing, and Geospatial Datasets

The Survey of India produces topographic maps at three principal civilian scales: 1:25,000 (large-scale, covering approximately 15 km × 15 km per sheet), 1:50,000 (the most widely used series, covering approximately 30 km × 30 km per sheet), and 1:250,000 (small-scale, covering larger regions). These maps are sold through SoI Sales Offices and, increasingly, through an online portal. However, the availability of specific sheets — particularly for border districts and areas adjacent to defence installations — is not always clearly communicated to prospective buyers, and the price list is not always current on the website.

An RTI application to the CPIO at SoI headquarters can yield:

• A confirmed list of toposheet numbers covering a specific district or area that are currently available for civilian supply, along with current prices per sheet
• Details of which sheets are available in paper form, digital raster format, or both
• Information on whether any specific sheet is restricted, out of print, or under revision
• The current rate schedule for digital geospatial products — including Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), orthorectified imagery, and National Topographic Database (NTDB) vector data — for academic, research, and commercial users
• Licensing terms applicable to geospatial datasets supplied by SoI, including any restrictions on derivative works or data sharing

Researchers at universities and government institutions frequently find that SoI's concessional pricing for academic use is not clearly advertised. RTI is an efficient way to obtain the official fee schedule and the procedure for claiming any applicable discount before placing an order.

Land Boundary Demarcation Surveys: Status, Findings, and Access to Records

One of SoI's core mandates is the conduct of inter-state boundary demarcation surveys and land boundary surveys commissioned by state governments or the Ministry of Home Affairs. These surveys result in official boundary pillars, joint inspection reports, and demarcation recommendations that directly affect land ownership, revenue records, and administrative jurisdiction for communities living near state or district boundaries.

RTI applications can seek:

• The current status of a boundary demarcation survey between two specified states — length of boundary surveyed, joint verification completed, and boundary remaining to be demarcated
• Copies of joint survey reports and boundary pillar records, to the extent not withheld under the RTI Act's exemption clauses
• Whether survey findings have been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs or the concerned state governments, and the date and outcome of such submission
• Details of any boundary segments identified as disputed or unresolved during the survey

It is important to note that some boundary survey documents — particularly those involving international boundaries with neighbouring countries, or surveys in areas with ongoing legal disputes — may be partially or wholly withheld under Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act, 2005, on the ground that disclosure would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India or its relations with foreign states. The CPIO must, however, specify the precise exemption invoked and demonstrate that disclosure would cause the stated harm. Inter-state boundary surveys within India are less frequently subject to national security exemptions, and applicants have successfully obtained status reports and procedural records for such surveys through the RTI process.

Map Use Permission and Copyright: Getting Official Clarity

The National Map Policy, 2005, and the Copyright Act, 1957, together require that any reproduction of Survey of India maps — in printed publications, websites, research reports, presentations, or broadcast media — must be authorised by the Surveyor General of India. This requirement applies even to small portions of a map used for illustrative purposes in an academic paper or a non-commercial book.

In practice, many researchers, authors, and publishers are unaware of the applicable fee schedule or the exact procedure for obtaining permission. RTI applications directed to the CPIO at SoI headquarters can obtain:

• The complete current procedure for applying for map reproduction permission, including the designated authority and required documents
• The fee schedule for reproduction permissions, broken down by use category (non-commercial academic, commercial publication, digital publication, educational institution, etc.)
• The typical processing time and whether applications can be submitted online or only by post
• The standard terms and conditions attached to a reproduction permission letter

Having this official information in hand before submitting a permission request significantly reduces back-and-forth correspondence with SoI and helps authors budget for the reproduction fee accurately.

Contracts and National Topographic Database Updates: Ensuring Procurement Transparency

SoI regularly awards contracts to private agencies for the digitisation, updating, and quality-checking of the National Topographic Database (NTDB) and for aerial survey and photogrammetry projects. As a Central Government public authority, SoI procures these services through the Government's procurement framework, and the details of awarded contracts — contractor names, contract values, tendering process, and completion timelines — are public procurement records that cannot ordinarily be withheld.

Citizens, journalists, and civil society organisations can use RTI to obtain:

• A list of contracts awarded for NTDB update, digitisation, or aerial survey work during a specified period, including contractor names, contract values, and award dates
• The tendering process followed — open tender, limited tender, or single-source procurement — and the number of bids received
• Current completion status of ongoing contracts
• The publicly releasable portions of project progress reports

This information enables independent oversight of whether SoI's modernisation programmes are being executed on schedule and within budget, and whether procurement norms are being followed.

Historical Map Archives: Accessing Pre-Independence Cartographic Records

SoI maintains one of the world's most significant cartographic archives, including original survey sheets, revised editions, manuscript maps, and associated field records dating back to the early nineteenth century. These records are of immense value to historians, geographers, archivists, legal researchers, and communities seeking to establish historical land boundaries or trace changes in settlement patterns over time.

RTI applications can seek:

• A list of historical maps (from the period 1800–1947) held by SoI archives covering a specified region, district, or survey series
• Details of the formats in which historical maps are preserved — original paper sheets, microfilm, or digitised scans — and whether digitised copies are available for supply to researchers
• The procedure and fee for obtaining copies of historical survey records
• Whether any historical map series has been digitised and made available through the National Map Policy or any public access scheme, with the relevant access details

Researchers have used RTI responses to navigate the SoI archive and to formally request access to materials not listed in any publicly available catalogue, thereby opening up records that might otherwise remain inaccessible in practice.

Classified Maps and the Section 8(1)(a) Exemption

Not all information held by SoI is accessible under the RTI Act. The National Map Policy, 2005, designates certain topographic map series — particularly large-scale maps covering sensitive border areas, defence cantonments, and strategic installations — as "Restricted" or "Confidential." Requests for such maps may be declined by the CPIO under Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act, 2005, which exempts information whose disclosure would prejudicially affect the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, or strategic scientific or economic interests of the State.

However, the exemption must be applied selectively and not as a blanket refusal. Most civilian-series topographic sheets — particularly those covering interior districts far from international borders — are not classified and must be supplied on request. If the CPIO invokes Section 8(1)(a) to refuse supply of a particular map sheet, the refusal must: (a) identify the specific sheet and the specific harm that would result from disclosure, and (b) be in writing. A blanket or unexplained refusal may be challenged in a First Appeal and, if necessary, before the Central Information Commission (CIC).

How to File Your RTI Application

File your RTI online at rtionline.gov.in. On the portal:

1. Register or log in with your mobile number or email address
2. Select Ministry: Ministry of Science and Technology
3. Select Public Authority: Survey of India
4. Write your application in the text box, or attach a PDF if it is lengthy
5. Pay the fee of ₹10 online (net banking, debit card, UPI)
6. Save the registration number to track your application

BPL cardholders are exempt from the application fee — attach a self-attested copy of the BPL card with your application.

Alternative — postal filing: Send a written application by post to the CPIO, Survey of India, Hathibarkala Estate, Dehradun – 248001, enclosing a demand draft or postal order of ₹10 drawn in favour of "Survey of India." Retain a copy of the application and the postal receipt as proof of submission.

Appeals

First Appeal — Section 19(1)

If the CPIO does not respond within 30 days of receipt of your application, or if the response is incomplete, incorrect, or unsatisfactory, file a First Appeal with the First Appellate Authority (FAA) at Survey of India. The First Appeal must be filed within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Where the information requested concerns the life or liberty of a person, the CPIO is required to furnish information within 48 hours under the proviso to Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Second Appeal — Section 19(3)

If the FAA's response is absent or unsatisfactory, file a Second Appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC) under Section 19(3) within 90 days. Survey of India is a Central Government body — all second appeals go to the CIC, not any State Information Commission. The CIC has authority under Section 20 to impose a penalty of ₹250 per day (up to ₹25,000) on the CPIO for unjustified denial or delay in furnishing information.