Buying land near Delhi NCR: khasra, khatauni and the other words that matter

Khasra number

The number of a piece of land in the village’s revenue map. A deed, a land record and a site visit should all point to the same khasra — and the land you walk on should be that one.

Khatauni and jamabandi

The record of rights: who owns which khasras in a village, and in what share. In Uttar Pradesh it is the khatauni, viewable on the state’s Bhulekh portal; in Haryana it is the jamabandi, and a certified copy is called a fard. Many plots are held jointly — if several owners are listed, all of them must sell, or the share being sold must be clearly partitioned.

Mutation

Dakhil-kharij in UP, intkal in Haryana: the update of the land record after a sale or inheritance. Registering your sale deed is not the end; apply for mutation so the record shows you as the owner.

Bigha, biswa and acre

A bigha is not one fixed size — it differs between states and even between districts. Agree the area in square yards, square metres or acres, and make sure the deed states it that way.

Land use and conversion

Agricultural land is for farming. To build a house, a warehouse or a shop on it, the land use has to be changed by the state — a change of land use (CLU) in Haryana, a declaration of non-agricultural use in UP. Ask whether that has been done, and get the order. Some states also restrict who may buy agricultural land; check the rules with a local lawyer before you commit.

On the ground

• Have the land demarcated by the revenue official — the lekhpal in UP, the patwari in Haryana — so the boundaries match the record
• Check the access: a recorded path or road to the plot, not just a neighbour’s permission
• Check the water: tube well, canal or none, and any electricity connection
• Look at the satellite view of the listing to see what lies around it