Development of a WebGIS System for Wayleave Management: a Case Study of a Section of the Proposed 82Km 220kV Malindi-Weru-Kilifi Transmission Line

Abstract

Wayleave management and Easement administration in the electricity subsector remains predominantly manual and paper-based, even in today’s digital world. The interaction between property owners, and utility companies should ideally be digitized to enhance efficiency. Critical information on Wayleaves and Easements, including their unique features, should be accessible in the field to prevent mistakes, strained relationships with stakeholders, and project delays. Manual processes have been slow, leading to cost overruns and inefficiencies. This study proposes an alternative to the often costly and vendor-dependent ESRI ArcGIS Enterprise System, suggesting the use of open-source technologies to create an operational webbased GIS for KETRACO’s wayleave acquisition. The objective of the study was to develop a centralized, web-enabled, enterprise-ready Geospatial Information System that links maps, web applications, data, and people, facilitating informed decision-making and improved accessibility to geospatial data. PostgreSQL and PostGIS spatial extension were adopted to handle spatial data. A new database, WAdmin, was then created, with tables designed to store relevant wayleave management data. GeoServer was set up within an Apache Tomcat environment to serve spatial data as Web Map Services (WMS). The web-based GIS application was developed using Leaflet JS and Bootstrap, providing an interactive user interface. This application allowed users to toggle layers, perform spatial queries, view popups with detailed information, measure distances and areas, and switch between various basemaps, including Google Streets, Google Terrain, Satellite, and OpenStreetMap. The resulting system successfully managed wayleave acquisition data, offering a user-friendly platform. Integrating open-source tools has the potential to result into significant cost savings and reduced dependence on external vendors. The web-based application enabled seamless interaction with spatial datasets, enhancing the efficiency of common wayleave management tasks. To ensure the system's sustainability and effectiveness, it is recommended that KETRACO build internal capacity to develop and maintain this such a system. Further studies should explore integrating both open-source and proprietary software, focusing on interoperability and long-term cost-benefit analysis. Developing tailored training programs for staff will further enhance the GIS system's capabilities and its adoption within the organization