The National Land Commission Secretariat will launch a centralised online geospatial data platform by next year
Yangyel Lhaden
Some 17 government agencies have signed an agreement with the Centre for Geo-information (CGI) under the National Land Commission Secretariat (NLCS) to collaborate in contributing geospatial data to the Bhutan National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).
The public will be able to access data from these agencies through a spatial data-sharing online platform, which will serve as a single gateway to the most reliable and up-to-date geospatial data. The online platform is expected to be launched by early next year.
Geospatial data refers to information that describes objects, events, or features linked to specific locations on or near the Earth’s surface. This includes natural and man-made elements such as water bodies, forests, roads, and population distributions, serving various practical applications.
Currently, more than 35 government agencies in the country independently employ geospatial information, leading to data duplication and wasted time and resources.
An NLCS official at the signing ceremony said that the current process of acquiring data from other agencies is tedious, often requiring written approval requests, which consumes time and resources. “With the new online platform consolidating data, it will be useful not only for government agencies but also for academics and consultants who need geospatial data.”
This data will have broad applications, including improving land and resource management, disaster management, environmental analysis, and supporting sustainable development and public services across various sectors.
According to NLCS officials, the initiative to make geospatial data available to the public aligns with Article Seven of the Constitution, which affirms the right to information for every Bhutanese citizen.
The geospatial data on the online platform will be categorised into three types: open data, which will be freely accessible to the public; common data, which will be available exclusively for viewing; and restricted data, which will provide information about maps without actual viewing access.
The availability of these limited data categories will be managed through metadata, which provides essential data information.
An NLCS official said that, with appropriate justification and approval, restricted data could also be made available to the public. “Information about the restricted data will be accessible so that the public is at least aware of what data categories exist.”
During the agreement signing, agencies such as the Department of Human Settlement, Thimphu Thromde, and the Department of Geology and Mines raised concerns regarding data sharing and categorisation into open, common, and restricted data. They called for appropriate guidelines to facilitate this process.
They also discussed on an agreement clause to provide timely, updated data, acknowledging the challenges in surveying and the substantial human resources and capital required.
The agencies will meet again to address these issues before the online platform is launched early next year.
The NSDI is part of a JICA-assisted technical cooperation project titled ‘Promotion of Utilisation of Geospatial Information through the Development of NSDI’, which began in 2020 and is scheduled for completion by 2025.
Upon project completion, this data is also expected to aid in National Land Use Zoning to resolve land-use conflicts.
According to NLCS, more than 436,560.588 acres of land in the country are in conflict due to poor planning and a lack of consultation among agencies.