MMRDA all set to digitise records
After the recent fire in its record room, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has come up with plans to digitise all its data, files and records that run into lakhs of pages. Digitisation will also help in easy access and retrieval of data.
As per the plans, the MMRDA will start converting its existing
paper records in the electronic form, duly catalogued and indexed for easy retrieval.
For this purpose, the MMRDA is scanning and digitising these paper records with a built-in robust query or search system for quick retrieval of documents.
“The objective of this project is to get the development authority’s documents scanned and stored with a backup in servers. High-speed scanners will be used for the job. We want the firm to scan a minimum of 10,000 pages daily,” said an official. When a file is scanned, a barcode will be created and pasted on each file for quick reference in the records. The data right from the inception of the MMRDA in 1974 till date will be processed and stored. The MMRDA was set up on January 26, 1975.
Experts are of the opinion that, while this is a step in the right direction, the BMC must not neglect quality to achieve quicker results. Corporate archivist Sanghamitra Sen said, “The MMRDA wants a minimum of 10,000 pages to be scanned daily. Typically, in that case the vendor will opt for a lower resolution. But, speaking from the archival point of view, this high quality resolution is always recommended as it will help the development authority for exhibitiions and other such projects.”
Ms Sen further points out that the digital content should also be made available to teh public. “Earlier, the BMC used to allow the public to access their record room, but the practice was stopped.”
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