C-MARKS — Road Cut Management System
A full-stack civic technology platform for managing road cutting permissions and Right-of-Way (RoW) in Chennai, featuring interactive mapping, admin approval workflows, and virtual street inspection.
Interactive map — scroll and click to explore.
Context
Road cutting for utility works in Chennai follows a fragmented, paper-based process leading to delays, uncoordinated excavations, and poor road quality. A digital platform can streamline permissions, improve oversight, and reduce road damage.
Problem Statement
How can road cut permission workflows be digitized end-to-end, with spatial tracking of cut locations, admin oversight, and virtual inspection capabilities, to reduce processing time and improve road quality outcomes?
Methodology
Designed full-stack application with spatial database (PostGIS) for road network and cut location tracking. JWT-based authentication for multi-role access (applicant, admin, inspector). Integrated Google Street View API for virtual inspection without field visits.
Analysis
Backend built with Node.js + Express 5 + PostgreSQL/PostGIS. Frontend built in React 19 + Vite with Mapbox GL JS 3 for road network visualization. Dark/light theming with glassmorphism UI. Email notification system via Nodemailer.
Insights
Spatial clustering of cut applications reveals utility coordination opportunities — multiple applicants targeting the same road corridor within 6 months could be batched to minimize disruption and restoration costs.
Outcome
Fully functional platform with CRUD workflows for road cut applications, admin dashboard for approval/rejection, interactive map with PostGIS spatial queries, and virtual inspection via Street View integration.