Land Demarcation Process in India: Nishandehi Guide for NRIs

If you have ever wondered exactly where your land ends, demarcation is the answer. It is the official measurement of your plot by the revenue department, which marks its boundaries on the ground. For NRI families it is the single most useful step before fencing, selling, or confronting a neighbour who may have moved a boundary.

What is land demarcation, and what is it called in your state?

Demarcation is an official survey that fixes your plot's boundaries on the ground according to the village map and the record of rights. The surveyor measures from known fixed points, places marks or pillars at the corners, and writes a report.

It goes by many local names. In Punjab, Haryana and Himachal it is usually nishandehi or hadbast. In Uttar Pradesh you will hear paimaish. In Maharashtra it is mojani, and in the south it is often simply a survey or boundary measurement.

Whatever the name, the output is the same: marked boundaries and a signed report that says whether anyone has crossed them.

When do NRIs need a demarcation?

You need a demarcation whenever a boundary matters and nobody is completely sure where it is. For NRIs, three moments come up again and again.

• Before building a fence or wall. If you build even a few feet inside a neighbour's land, you invite a dispute. If you build a few feet inside your own, you may quietly give that strip away.
• Before selling. Buyers and their lawyers increasingly want the area on the ground to match the papers. A fresh demarcation avoids last-minute renegotiation.
• When you suspect encroachment. If a satellite image, a relative or a tenant suggests the boundary has moved, demarcation turns suspicion into an official record.

Two other moments are worth adding. After heirs divide land among themselves, a demarcation turns a paper partition into lines on the ground. And where land was renumbered during consolidation (chakbandi) decades ago, a fresh measurement often clears up years of confusion.

Boundaries in farmland tend to drift slowly. A neighbour ploughs one furrow further each season, and after a few years the field is noticeably smaller. Satellite images taken a few seasons apart often show that drift clearly.

Who carries out the demarcation?

Demarcation is done by the state's revenue or survey staff, working under the tehsildar or the land records department. In the north that usually means the patwari and the kanungo (a senior revenue official). In many western and southern states it is a government surveyor from the survey and land records department.

The tehsildar, who heads the tehsil revenue office, or an equivalent officer normally receives the application and orders the measurement. In Uttar Pradesh, for example, boundary disputes can be decided by the Sub-Divisional Officer under section 24 of the UP Revenue Code, 2006, which asks that such cases be finished within three months as far as possible.

Several states have moved the application online:

• Punjab accepts demarcation applications through its Revenue Court Management System (rcms.punjab.gov.in).
• Haryana launched online demarcation requests on its land records system in 2025.
• Maharashtra handles measurement requests through e-Mojani on the Mahabhumi land records system.

Processes and addresses change, so check your state's revenue department site or ask a local lawyer before you file.

How do you apply for demarcation?

You apply in writing to the tehsildar or survey office, attach your land papers, pay the fee and wait for a date. Our free demarcation application generator drafts the letter for you in a standard format.

1. 1

   Gather your records

   Get a recent copy of the record of rights (jamabandi, khatauni, 7/12, RTC or patta), your sale, gift or inheritance papers, and the khasra or survey number of your plot and the plots next to it.
2. 2

   Write the application

   Address it to the tehsildar or the survey office. Give your name, parcel number, village, the reason for demarcation, and the names of neighbouring holders if you know them.
3. 3

   Pay the fee

   Fees are set by each state and often depend on area or the number of parcels. Keep the receipt; it is your proof of filing.
4. 4

   Notice goes to neighbours

   The office normally notifies adjoining owners so they can attend and object. This protects the result from later challenge.
5. 5

   Measurement on site

   The surveyor measures, places boundary marks and records who attended. Photos and a short video from your representative are very useful.
6. 6

   Collect the report

   Ask for a copy of the demarcation report and any sketch or map. This is the document you will rely on later.

How much does demarcation cost and how long does it take?

Both vary by state and by how busy the local office is. The fee is set by the state government and is usually modest, often linked to the area or the number of parcels to be measured. Online systems in some states show the fee when you apply.

Timing is the bigger variable. A simple measurement with cooperative neighbours can be done in a few weeks. Where old maps must be traced, neighbours object, or the office has a backlog, it can take months. Some states set target timelines under their public service guarantee laws, so ask the office what applies.

Keep the acknowledgement receipt and follow up politely every few weeks. If the application stalls, an RTI asking for its status often helps; see our guide to RTI for land records.

Can you attend a demarcation from abroad?

You do not need to be there yourself, but someone you trust should be. The surveyor works on the day, on the ground, and the person present can point out old boundary marks and make sure every corner is measured.

The simplest arrangement is a relative or lawyer with a short authority letter, or a power of attorney limited to this one task. Avoid broad general powers; our guide to power of attorney risks explains why. Our power of attorney builder can help you draft a narrow one.

Ask your representative to share photos and GPS locations of each boundary mark on WhatsApp during the visit. Save them with the date. If you already have satellite images of the plot, send them in advance so everyone knows what to expect.

What if you disagree with the demarcation report?

You can challenge it. If you or a neighbour think the measurement is wrong, the usual first step is an objection or appeal to a higher revenue officer, such as the Sub-Divisional Officer or collector, within the time limit your state sets.

Common grounds include wrong reference points, a missing notice to a neighbour, or a map that was never updated after consolidation. Some states allow a fresh demarcation by a senior officer.

Keep in mind that demarcation fixes boundaries; it does not decide ownership. If the real argument is about who owns the strip, that belongs in a civil court. Talk to a local property lawyer before you file, because time limits can be short.

What should you do after the demarcation?

Lock in the result so it stays true. Boundary pillars can be moved in a night, so the paper report and a dated picture of the ground are what protect you later.

• Store the report with your title papers and record of rights.
• Take dated photos of every boundary mark from two angles.
• Consider a fence or wall now that you know the line. Our guide to boundary walls and fencing for an empty plot compares the options.
• Keep watching. A fresh boundary is the best baseline for spotting change.

PlotPehra uses your khasra or survey number, or a map pin, to watch your plot on every clear satellite image. Satellite pixels are 10 metres across, so a shift of a few feet won't show, but someone farming, clearing or building on part of your plot will. In 19 states we also check the land record every week for a new mutation or a changed area. A real person reviews every change and explains it by email and WhatsApp, with dated records you can hand to your lawyer.

A demarcation gives you a clear line. Monitoring tells you if anyone starts using land on your side of it. If you think the line has already moved, start with our step-by-step guide on what to do if your land is encroached.