Nadu Survey and Boundaries Act, 1897, which was repealed under Tamil Nadu Survey and Boundaries Act, 1923, field survey was conducted. As per the survey manual, the Survey Officer while carrying out the survey used to denote survey marks and prepare topographical details by marking pictures in the village map about the existence of a house, temple, mosque, lamp, telephone line, railway line, cart track, foot path, river, street, culvert or bridge, tanks etc. Marking the symbols may indicate a temporary or permanent feature. Some times the existence of any such thing as detailed in village map may not be even seen due to change or development over a period of time. While the village boundary, existence of tank and permanent structure which are detailed in FMB surveys can always be identified on ground with reference to particular classification of land, existence of foot path by dotted lines or similar features like channel cannot be interpreted that it always exists for all the time to come. In other words, unless the specific area is sub divided to indicate the existence of a tank or road and marking of rivers or pictures in revenue map can only be taken as existence of such features at the time of survey. In the absence of any other record or evidence of foot path or cart track in FMB, it is a weak evidence to deprive the proprietary right of pattadars/owners.
