LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
Survey and Mapping
The Survey and Mapping Office (SMO) is the central authority for land survey and all types of mapping in Hong Kong. The main functions of the office are the establishment and maintenance of geodetic networks, the provision of land boundary surveys for land developments and the production of maps of Hong Kong at various scales and of different themes.
The geodetic networks provide the essential reference points for all types of land and engineering surveys. A Geodetic Survey Information System has been set up to facilitate the co-ordination and dissemination of geodetic survey information. Global Positioning System technology, which uses signals from satellites to determine the locations of reference points, is being introduced to enhance the quality and efficiency of geodetic survey in the HKSAR. The first phase of the Global Positioning System Network will be implemented for the north-western part of the region. The network will enable many types of land and engineering survey to be carried out, inside and outside the Government, with a very high precision and in a much shorter time, and round the clock, if so required.
The SMO provides land survey services for land administration purposes, such as, land sale, lease modifications and land resumption under various ordinances. It maintains a computerised Land Information System for keeping basic mapping and land boundary records of the whole HKSAR in digital form. Plans are prepared for government departments for land administration, land disposals, gazette and various legal purposes. The office is also delegated the authority for organising and co- ordinating the naming of places and streets in the HKSAR. The SMO sells lot index. plans to members of the public for identifying the location of land parcels. Being the Land Survey Authority under the Land Survey Ordinance, the office is responsible for checking the quality of land survey plans submitted by Authorised Land Surveyors and maintains a record of these plans for reference by other land surveyors. It has also established a computerised Cadastral Survey Plan Index System to facilitate the search of land boundary survey records.
The SMO produces several series of basic maps, such as scales of 1 to 1000, 1 to 5 000, 1 to 10 000 and 1 to 20 000, all in bilingual and in digital form, and these are available for sale to the public. Free maps at a scale of 1 to 200 000 and a map price catalogue may be down-loaded through the Internet at www.info.gov.hk/landsd/mapping. To satisfy specific purposes and needs, various theme maps are produced, such as countryside maps, geological maps, weather forecasting plans, pollution control maps, aeronautical charts, electoral boundary maps, and plans for land resumption.
The Photogrammetric and Air Survey Section of the office provides aerial survey services to other departments for mapping, engineering surveys and other administrative purposes. Aerial photographs are available for sale to the public.
The development of a computerised Tourist Information System has been completed and handed over to the Hong Kong Tourist Association. The system uses the maps produced by the office as a base or overlay for the tourist information. supplied by the Hong Kong Tourist Association, such as the locations of hotels, shops, restaurants and scenic spots. The system is accessible through the Internet. Another mapping information system, also to be available through the Internet, is being developed jointly by the office and two private business partners. This
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