Abstract

“GeoSpatial Information Integration Strategy at Abu Dhabi Municipality ”

Eng. Mustafa Abdullah Almusawa
Head of Spatial Data Directorate
Abu Dhabi Municipality
Abu Dhabi, UAE

City of Abu Dhabi is one of the fastest growing cities in the region with a large number of ongoing and planned development and construction projects, not only in the city but also in nearby islands.

The local authority in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has realized importance of updated spatial data to plan city development and to monitor and supervise implementation of master plan and detailed plan principles.

This paper describes the Abu Dhabi government effort to:

- Create and to maintain accurate base map and spatial database for all urban areas as well for the future development places.
- Provide an access to this information to the local community requiring such data, data exchange with the users, conversion of the planning and utilities data and improvement of its spatial referencing and accuracy and keeping all the data up-to date.
- Build the capacity for GIS modeling and analysis within the Spatial Data Directorate, implement system to store and track of all records.
- Increase internal capacity of the Directorate by adding more resources, implementation of training program.

1. Data Base Creation and Maintenance

Abu Dhabi Municipality has become a vital part supporting development and managing the regions economic growth, attracting business, tourists.

Abu Dhabi Municipality with full coordination with the department of Municipal Affairs, Abu Dhabi System Information Center , Alain Municipality , Western Region Municipality , Dubai Municipality and Ras Alkhaimah Municipality has been performing several projects to get data base created and maintained, namely:

- Plots (Properties) Conversion and Adjustment Project loading more than 60,000 plots into current data base assisted by appropriate attributes and being feed back for Land Management System. Project performed in 2006. - GIS Data Base Enhancement Project implemented since February 2007 and finalized in November 2008. DBE Project has created a huge amount of large scale vector information and high resolution raster data, which are maintained in the ADM Spatial Database. Property information has been positionally adjusted for best fitting with base map data.
- GPS Reference Station Network project establishing network of real-time continuously operating 20 GPS stations for Abu Dhabi Emirate. This network supports surveying activities providing corrections to achieve high positional accuracy of +/- 2-3 cm. Project was finalized in November 2007.
- New Addressing System for Abu Dhabi establishing very demanding system both for the citizens as well as for governmental agencies. Design stage is already finished, Contractor work to in 2009.
- Seismic Hazard Assessment and micro-zonation code development project to monitor earth quake risk. Project design is finalized, Contractor allocation procedure already started.
- Establishing of 3D city model for Abu Dhabi enabling visualization and navigation through existing and planned city infrastructure. Project is in the stage of Consultant allocation.
- New Base Mapping project to enhance existing base map data base for areas to be developed. Project started with the beginning of 2009 and is in design stage. - Establishing Geotechnical data base for planning and construction activities. To be finalized in 2009.
- Mapping of underground storm water and irrigation network to achieve common standards of utility information. Project to be commenced in 2009.
- Property Management project to facilitate property transactions by newly developed Land Management System. This system should be based on accurate and up-to date data about plot boundaries and should include boundaries demarcation, survey and registration. Project will start in 2009.

2. Data Base Dissemination, GIS Enabling
Abu Dhabi Municipality has developed the regulations and guidelines for the data exchange and dissemination. As the result Data Dissemination Guideline has been created and distributed to all stakeholders to be adopted as the basic data standard.

Via web browser multiple organizations have access to the spatial and land related assets of the regions. Users can readily access up-to-date information from their desktops. Additionally several more projects have been prepared to distribute maps and imageries, enabling via the web construction approval processes, namely:

- Establishing Map and Geodata Web Portal with Image Server – project enhancing existing web browsers is under implementation, in tendering phase for the contractor. To be finalized in 2009.
- Fully harmonize the content of registers for Plots, Addresses and Buildings, linking these registers with Census and Commercial License data along with establishing the routines for updating. Project in tendering stage, to be finalized in 2009.
- Establishing map based e-government standard services for approval of underground utility installation information. Project started and to be completed in 2009.
- GIS implementation in Project Execution Section of Municipal Roads and Infrastructure Directorate to help streamlining of business processes and facilitate different operational tasks (e.g. cut & fill). Project will be initiated in 2009.

3. Data Base Modeling and Analyzing, Record Management
- Loading data into GIS data base opens the possibilities for building models and performing analysis to support activities and decisions throughout the Abu Dhabi Municipality. Abu Dhabi Municipality considers project developing such applications enabling e.g. environmental research and model building, urban demographic studies, transportation analysis, and much more. The project aims at utilizing of full potential of the data captured and maintained in spatial data base to take out full return of the investment done.

- Creation of Record Management System to provide legal and reliable evidence of decisions and actions. Such a system is the only way to cope with growing mass of difficult to manage records. Project is to be initiated in 2009.

4. Increasing Internal Capacity of the Municipality
To manage above mentioned ambitious and growing tasks, to handle all of the projects gives more and more pressure for the Directorate internal personnel.

Thus empowering of existing staff and employing of new people has become one of prerequisites in successful realization of Abu Dhabi Municipality plans. Consequently specialized training programs for both new comers and old employees are tailored and gradually performed.

Independently, continuous technology development imposes necessity of permanent knowledge upgrade by participation in numerous seminars, presentations and conferences. There are several more initiatives scheduled for coming periods increasing data quality, enabling better utilization of existing spatial information.

All this effort is embedded into the strategy and visions of the leaders of the Abu Dhabi Emirate to have the Municipalities providing an outstanding municipal service , building modern infrastructure to enable local government becoming within the best in the world.