Aiming to transform India’s mapping ecosystem, India’s national mapping agency, Survey of India(SOI), and Genesys International, a leading Indian mapping company, announced a strategic agreement for a three-dimensional (3D) digital twin-mapping program in India.
According to reports, Genesys is the first company to enter into the first public private deal with Servey of India(SOI). A digital twin is a virtual representation of a real-world entity, whether it is a product, process, person or location, capable of realizing and measuring its physical counterparts.
AIMS
Aligned with India’s National Geospatial Policy, the partnership aimed to build digital twins of major cities and towns by 2035. This joint effort will be undertaken to sensitize city administrations on the utility of accurate geospatial datasets through technical workshops.
Genesys’ navigation maps, Genesys constellation sensors, and SOI’s CORS network generally allow for real-time location data. The collaboration launched the India Map Stack initiative, combining Genesys’ expertise with SOI’s technical infrastructure and providing data layers such as 3D data, the Digital Terrain Model (DTM), the Digital Surface Model (DSM), and orthographic imagery.
In line with the National Geospatial Policy 2022, SoI has partnered with industry, starting with Genesys International, to deliver geospatial content that will be developed with reference to the National Geodetic Framework.
Genesys International has already developed a navigational 2D map of the entire country and 3D maps of about 10 cities. Genesys has also developed its own technology to create three-dimensional (3D) versions of maps that can display buildings alongside the 2D layer of the map. The 3D digital twin will be used by government departments for various new initiatives.
Plans
Digital twinning of urban areas will not only help in planning and policymaking but also in disaster management as it will provide details of features and vulnerability aspects of infrastructure through digital terrain and surface models. The company has so far developed the ‘Digital Twins’ of Ayodhya and Dharavi slum clusters in Mumbai, Kochi, and Kanpur.
‘Digital twins’ are the virtual counterparts of a physical asset, process, or service that are at the core of the new digital revolution.
It will enable better decision-making for all types of facilities and services in urban areas, including traffic planning, real estate development, revenue (property tax) collection, and environmental planning.
A digital twin sheet will help policymakers realize how infrastructure will perform under different scenarios, such as high-footprint events, population growth, or natural disasters.
This initiative will provide previously unavailable data layers, including high-precision 3D data, the digital terrain model (DTM), the digital surface model (DSM), and orthoimagery.
Collaborative benefits
Under its partnership, Genesis International will utilize SOI’s nationwide state-of-the-art national survey network of more than 900 Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) capable of providing accurate real-time location-based mapping and positioning services.
The collaboration between Genesis International and Survey of India is an important step in developing digital twins of Indian cities. Leveraging SoI’s vast resources and expertise, Genesis International will create a highly precise and informative digital ecosystem that will support various government initiatives and empower businesses in planning and decision-making. This partnership holds immense potential for advancing India’s geospatial capabilities and innovation in the mapping industry.
Shares of Genesys International Corporation Limited rushed over 4 percent in the morning trade on November 23 after it entered into a strategic tie-up with Survey of India for its 3D digital twin mapping program in India
Hitesh Kumar Makwana, Surveyor General of India, said, “In line with National Geospatial Policy 2022, SOI has started collaboration with the industry, beginning with Genesys, to deliver geospatial content that will be created with reference to the National Geodetic Framework.
According to Makwana, SOI is fully willing to collaborate with industry partners to utilize modern survey techniques and leverage the expertise of the Indian private sector.
He also stated that it marks the first Memorandum of Understanding that the department has signed with a private company for the development of geospatial content.
During a conversation with TOI, Sajid Malik,Chairman and Managing Director of Genesis, emphasized that the digital twin concept is a comprehensive geometric model of a city. Within the Digital Twin program. there are multiplayer layers of aggregated data, which helps in multiple applications where this data is needed. “We are proud to join with Survey of India to create digital twins of Indian cities that will serve as a foundation for India’s development.” he added.
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