STACKLAND-The Land Record Management System (LRMS)

Abstract

The digitization of land record management has emerged as a critical research domain in response to long-standing issues of fraud, inefficiency, and lack of transparency in traditional paper-based systems. This abstract synthesizes findings from the top peer-reviewed journals (including Land Use Policy, IEEE Access, Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, Wireless Personal Communications, Land (MDPI), Acta Informatica Pragensia, International Journal of Management Studies, ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, and Nepalese Journal on Geoinformatics) to provide a comprehensive overview of contemporary Land Record Management Systems (LRMS). A substantial body of literature confirms that traditional land administration is plagued by laborious manual processes, fragmented record-keeping, and a high propensity for forgery and disputes. In response, technological innovations, particularly blockchain and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), have become central to LRMS modernization. Blockchain-based frameworks offer a decentralized, tamper-resistant, and transparent ledger for land transactions, enhancing data integrity, security, and privacy. Recent studies propose novel architectures integrating blockchain with the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) and smart contracts to automate ownership transfers, reduce reliance on intermediaries, and provide auditable provenance of land titles. Complementing this, GIS and geospatial technologies enable the integration of cadastral maps with textual records, facilitating accurate spatial data management, 3D cadastre, and informed urban planning. Concurrently, the literature highlights persistent socio-technical challenges. Research on India\'s Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) reveals that while digitization has progressed, issues such as legacy data quality, institutional inertia, inter-departmental silos, and the difficulty of transitioning from \"presumptive\" to \"guaranteed\" titling remain substantial hurdles. Studies from Pakistan, Nigeria, and Indonesia similarly find that success depends critically on addressing digital infrastructure inequality, low digital literacy, and resistance from entrenched administrative practices. Furthermore, emerging research on artificial intelligence (AI) in land administration points to promising applications—such as automated document verification and predictive analytics—while also underscoring technical, legal, and institutional barriers to adoption.

Introduction

Land Record Management Systems (LRMS) are essential for land ownership, governance, and economic stability, but traditional paper-based systems suffer from corruption, fraud, delays, and lack of transparency. Even large digitization efforts like India’s DILRMP have improved access to records but failed to fully solve issues like data inconsistency, legal uncertainty in ownership, and departmental silos.

Recent research focuses on modern technologies such as blockchain, GIS, smart contracts, AI, and UAV-based mapping to improve transparency, automate transactions, and ensure tamper-proof land records. However, studies show that technology alone is not sufficient—successful LRMS reform also depends on administrative coordination, legal frameworks, funding, interoperability, and bridging the digital divide.

To address these challenges, the proposed system is a blockchain-based, GIS-integrated LRMS with smart contracts and role-based access control. It digitizes land records, enables secure ownership verification, supports automated land transfer, and provides real-time mapping and dispute handling. Smart contracts ensure fast, automated, and tamper-proof transactions, while disputes are frozen until legal resolution.

The system uses a systematic literature review (PRISMA method) and draws from global databases, selecting 231 studies to analyze trends, technologies, and gaps. Implementation includes blockchain infrastructure, cloud servers, GIS tools, and biometric authentication.

Performance evaluation shows strong results: high transaction throughput (85–120 TPS), low latency (1.8 seconds), low-cost transfers, fast GIS queries, and strong user acceptance. Security is maintained through cryptographic integrity and fault tolerance, making the system scalable, efficient, and more transparent than traditional land record systems.

Conclusion

This comprehensive study on the Land Record Management System (LRMS) has systematically examined the challenges, technological innovations, implementation strategies, and performance outcomes of modernizing land administration through digital and blockchain-based solutions. Concluding Remarks The Land Record Management System presented in this study represents a paradigm shift from opaque, paper?based, and dispute?ridden land administration to a transparent, secure, and efficient digital ecosystem. By leveraging blockchain, GIS, smart contracts, and biometric authentication, the proposed LRMS addresses the core vulnerabilities of traditional systems – forgery, delays, corruption, and lack of trust. However, technology alone is not a panacea. Successful implementation requires simultaneous progress in legal reform, institutional capacity building, stakeholder engagement, digital literacy, and infrastructure development. The evidence from this study – both from simulated performance evaluations and real?world deployments like ILMIS – strongly suggests that the benefits far outweigh the challenges. Modernizing land record management is not merely a technical upgrade; it is a foundational investment in governance, economic development, and social justice. In an era where secure and transparent land rights are essential for poverty reduction, investment promotion, and sustainable urban planning, the proposed LRMS offers a robust, scalable, and replicable model. With continued research, policy support, and cross?disciplinary collaboration, blockchain?based land administration can transform one of the most critical pillars of civil society.

References

[1] Blockchain-Powered Land Registry and NFT Marketplace with Auction MechanismSource: IEEE Access (2025) [2] BACP-LRS: Blockchain and IPFS based Land Record SystemSource: Acta Informatica Pragensia (2025) [3] A Systematic Literature Review on Blockchain Based Titles Registries for Transparent Land Administration Source: University of Namibia Journal (2024) [4] Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) – Government Evaluation ReportSource: PRS India Legislative Research (2026) [5] Permissioned Distributed Ledgers for Land Transactions: A Case StudySource: Springer – Lecture Notes in Computer Science (2019/2021) [6] Design and Implementation of a Geospatially Enabled Blockchain Application for Land Record Management Source: ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences (2025) [7] BLRS: An Automated Land Records Management System Using Blockchain Technology Source: Springer – Applied Computing for Software and Smart Systems, Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems (2023) [8] Sorting Paper: The Archival Labour of Digitising Land Records in Kenya Source: The Geographical Journal (Wiley, 2024) [9] Modernizing of Land Record in Karnataka: A Case Study on Bhoomi Project Source: Zenodo (2025) [10] Digital Management of Legal Records: Analyzing User Acceptance of Digital Land Management Source: ScienceDirect (2025)

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Chaitanya Ambule, Mahesh Janbandhu, Mohammad Zeeshan Sheikh, Prof. Rakesh Moharle, Dr. Sushama Telrandhe. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.