Survey Department of SriLanka

As the oldest Government Department of Sri Lanka, established on 2nd August 1800, the Sri Lanka Survey Department (SLSD) is the National Surveying & Mapping Organization pioneering the fields such as Land Surveying,Mapping, Satellite Remote Sensing (RS),Global Positioning System(GPS),Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Land Information Systems (LIS), Airborne Remote Sensing and Photogrammetric activities in Sri Lanka.Those fields were become more IT contributed fields today as the fast development of ICT technology related to those fields, the department drive towards new direct to increase it's efficiency

The recently established two branches, namely Geo Names (Geographical names) and NSDI (National Spatial Data Infrastructure) play a significant role to share the land related information cooperating with other interested organizations in the country.

The Sri Lanka Survey Department (SLSD) under the Ministry of Land and Land Development acts as the National Surveying and Mapping agency of the government and is responsible for the standardization and production of all Surveying and Mapping activities in Sri Lanka. It is also responsible for the establishment of the national Cadaster under the Land Titling Program.

The national budget of the Sri Lanka allocates approximately about Rs. 2200 million annually for the activities of the SLSD. Ministry of Land and Land Development and the National Budget Department intervene improve the Surveying and Mapping activities because of the urgent needs in produce the quality of Geo/Land information which needs by the Planners, Administrators and Industrialists involved in decision making and contributing developing projects in the country.

Ceylon was ceded to British in year 1796. Sir Frederic North was proclaimed the Governer of Ceylon with the exception of the Kandyan Territory ruled by the King of Kandy, by a commission dated 06th March 1798. The famous land proclamation dated 3rd May 1800 desired abolition of common land holdings and envisaged individualization of land ownership and there by land surveys become a vital needHaving explored whatever the existing mode of Surveying of land in the island, the proclamation dated 2nd August 1800 was made outlining the original functions of the Surveyor General by the Governor “Sir Frederic North” and as a consequence, the Ceylon Survey Department was established.

Services Provided to Citizen

Purchasing of digital maps: Digital data is categorized into four types such as digitally extracted raw data from Air photographs using photogrammetric stereo compilation, scanned maps,digitized paper maps,satallite images and Lider Data. Currently the department is issuing those data to its customers in arc shape file format/DXF format. People who are interested to obtain the raw data, he/she can request dgn format and those data has not undergone any field check. The customer oriented digital JPEG format and hardcopies are also produced by the department on request

Get copy of a Survey Plans

Copies of Plans and Tenementery list can be purchased in four different formats

(a) A diagram of lot /parcel

(b) A photocopy of a relevant quarter field sheet

(d) A Scanned image of a relevant quarter field sheet/Tenementery information sheets

The basic requirement is to get a copy of Survey Plan the particular land has to be surveyed by the Survey Department previously.Then you have to correctly located on such interested land on the map or plan. Providing of information on village, Divisional sectary division, Kolara, Pattu, will be helpful for departmental staff to correctly locate your land on the maps.By carefully reading of the deed documents it can be find those reference and references given to any survey plan There is special from to provide these information is the district survey office and to fill that form you can get help from departmental staff.

Contact information for District Survey Offices

If documents which you have given reference to a plan which has prepared by a licensed surveyor then copy of plan has to be get from particular licensed surveyor.If documents which you have not given any reference to Licensed surveyor’s address, telephone number,then you can get those information from the Land Survey Council at Surveyor General Office.You can get telephone numbers and address of all registered licensed surveyors from the web site of Land Survey Council

If particular licensed surveyor has dead or immigrated relevant documents are taken over by another licensed surveyor closed by. In most cases the Land Survey Council may be able to help you in this regards.

Chairman

Land Survey Council

Survey Department of Sri Lanka

No: 150, Kirula Road

Narahenpita

Colombo-05

Issue of Licensed Draughtsman Certificate

Examination for issue of certificate for licensed draughtsman is conducted annually and will be publish in gazette notification. Interested parties can be apply for the examination and those who passed the examination will be issued with the certificate of licensed draughtsman. Those who process this certificate can be practice under the registered licensed surveyor.

Applications are call by Gazette notification normally published by April every Year and Examination are held on June and August.

Investigations of public complaints on surveys

It is possible to complain against any surveys done the government surveyors at any time directly to the Additional Surveyor General(field) by telephone or by letter.

Additional Surveyor General(field),

Survey Department of Sri Lanka,

No: 150, Kirula Road,

Narahenpita,

Colombo-05

Tel:- 011-2368571

If the particular survey has done by the registered licensed surveyor complain has to be logged at Land survey council located at Surveyor General’s office.

Letters to be addressed to :-

Chairman,

Land Survey Council,

Survey Department of Sri Lanka,

No: 150, Kirula Road,

Narahenpita,

Colombo-05

Obtaining of geodetic coordinates and conversions of coordinates

By contacting Geodetic Branch located at Surveyor General's office, Colombo. It is possible to obtain Geodetic Coordinate and conversion of coordinates to latitude/longitude into north and East or vise versa.

Contact Details :-

Deputy Surveyor General (Geodetic),

Geodetic Survey Branch,

Surveyor General's office

Colombo

Tel/Fax :- 011-2055971

mail :- dsggeodetic@survey.gov.lk

Sub division amalgamate of land which has issued a title certificate

The certificate holder has to go to District Survey for the Subsequent surveys of land issued with title certificate. Senior Superintendent of Surveyors will study the relevant document and inform the cost of survey. Survey fees are depend on the location of the land, work to be done etc. After payment of survey fees, work will be done by the department.

Sub division of Amalgamate of land which has issued Title Certificates.

District office Contact Details

In addition that this type of work can be get done through registered licensed surveyors near by and it may be more convenient.

Purchasing of Printed Maps: All printed maps can be purchased at Coustemer Service Centre ,Surveyor General's Office Colombo & District Survey Offices in each District.