The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun the pre-test exercise for Census 2027 in the M West Ward, initiating a fully digital houselisting and housing census process. The activity is part of a nationwide pre-test being conducted from November 10 to 30 to evaluate all operational components before the full-scale Census rollout.
As part of the transition to digital enumeration, supervisors are mapping houselisting block boundaries using the DLM app, while enumerators are collecting data on buildings, houses and households through the HLO app. The progress of fieldwork is being monitored in real time via the Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) portal.
In Maharashtra, the pre-test is being conducted in three sample areas: parts of BMC’s M West Ward, Chopda tehsil in Jalgaon district and Gaganbawada tehsil in Kolhapur district. The exercise is governed by the provisions of the Census Act, 1948. Citizens were also provided with the option of self-enumeration between November 1 and 7.
For the M West Ward pre-test, 142 houselisting blocks have been created, with 135 enumerators and 22 supervisors deployed. Training for personnel was conducted from November 6 to 8. The Municipal Commissioner is serving as the Principal Census Officer, supported by the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) as Additional Principal Census Officer and the Executive Health Officer as City Census Officer.
Field operations commenced on November 10, followed by a review meeting chaired by Seema Vyas, Additional Chief Secretary (General Administration), Government of Maharashtra. The meeting was attended by Dr. Nirupama Dange, Director, Census Directorate of Maharashtra; A.N. Rajiv, Deputy Registrar General; and Dr. Daksha Shah, Executive Health Officer and City Census Officer. Officials also visited a houselisting block to review the work undertaken by enumerators and supervisors.
During the review, directions were issued to ensure the timely and efficient completion of the pre-test across all designated areas.
