Map Projection Of Nepal | Cadastral Survey | UTM projection and MUTM Projection

 Projection

The systematic representation of Parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude of a spherical surface of the earth into a plane surface of the paper is called Projection.

Map Projection System in Nepal

The Projection used in Nepal is UTM ( Universal Transverse Mercator). Mercator is a conformal Cylindrical Projection. In conformal projection shape and angle are preserved, length and breadth may distort.

Fig:- UTM projection

The UTM consist of 60 zones each of 6 degrees extending from 180 degrees W to 180 degrees E. Zone 1 lies between 180 degrees E to 174 degrees E with 177 degrees E as a central meridian. And the other zones extend in a similar manner. Further, the zones are divided into rows with a difference of 8 degrees. The zones extend from 80 degrees S to 84 N. The first latitude zone is designated as C from 80 degrees S to 72 degrees S latitude. The latitude zones are not designated by letters I and O as it is similar to 1 and 0 in looking, also it is not designated by letters A and B as well. 

Nepal lies at the UTM zone of 44 degrees N and 45 degrees N and has a scaling factor of 0.9996 for the central meridian. 1 degree and 49 minutes from the East and West of the central meridian has the scale factor of 1.

                                            Fig: MUTM ( Modified UTM)

For the purpose of increasing the accuracy of the Cadastral survey and other purposes, UTM is modified into MUTM ( Modified UTM) in recent years.

In MUTM, Earth is divided into 120 zones each of  3 degrees. Nepal has a central meridian of 81 degrees 84 degrees and 87 degrees. The scale factor of the central meridian is 0.9999 normally for 84 degrees. 0 degrees and 55 minutes E and W of central meridian have a Scale factor of 1. False easting of the central meridian is 500,000 m  to keep all the co-ordinates within the county positive. Similarly, False Northing at the Equator is 0m.