Land Area Calculator: Common measurement units used in India
- Nitesh Agarwal
- Jul 31, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Sep 16
Land measurement units vary across states in India. To understand the value of land better and crosscheck the details mentioned in the title documents, it is always advised to have an idea of the common land measurement units used locally in the region where a plot is situated.
Land measurement units in India are many and diverse. Some common measurement units are hectares, acres, square meters, and Bigha, among others. While Bigha and Marla are commonly used in the North, terms such as Cent, Guntha, and Ground belong to the South. Depending upon the names of the units, their sizes also vary from State to State. But, how are these land calculation units converted from one to another while buying a plot?
How is land measured in India?
The land is measured using standard units. Small tracts of land or residential plots are usually measured in square feet (sq ft) or square metres (sq m) whereas large tracts of land such as industrial or agricultural land are measured in acres or hectares. Some of the regional units used to measure land in India are Bigha, Guntha, Ground, and Gaj, to name a few. These units are mostly used in villages where buyers still prefer to measure land in traditional ways.
Difference between a plot and a ground?
While a plot refers to a piece of land, irrespective of its size, a ground is a land area measuring 2,400 sq ft. The land documents, wherein the land is divided into layouts, will usually give the measurement in the ground or sq ft.
List of some common land measurement units in India
Note: The above table mentions approximate conversions
Standard land area units in India
In India, several land measurement units are used and are varied as per the region. You can use the land measurement converter or land area converter to change the area as per your required unit. Here are some common land metrics used in India-
Hectare
The unit hectares are often used to measure forest or agricultural lands. Hectares are also used to survey the land for estate evaluation and town planning.
Acres
Although an acre is popularly used in the United States of America and the United Kingdom, it is also used in India to measure large areas of land such as estates or farmland.
Bigha
Commonly used in the Indian States of Punjab, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Gujarat, Bigha has no standard size. Its measurement units vary as per the state. For example, a Bigha in Uttarakhand is 756.222 sq yd, whereas, in West Bengal, it equals 1,600 sq yd.
Square Foot
A square foot is used worldwide. It is an imperial unit and US customary unit of area used mainly in the US and in Canada partially.
Ground
Commonly used in the southern State of Tamil Nadu, Ground is a popular land measurement unit. The value of one ground equals 203 sq m or 24,000 sq ft.
Square Meter
A square meter, also called a metered square, is a Standard International (SI) unit of area measurement. It is denoted as sq m or m2.
Katha
Katha is popularly used in the eastern states of India. The land unit, like Bigha, also does not have a standard size since it is different for different areas. For example, one katha equals 720 sq ft in West Bengal and 1,361.25 sq ft in Bihar.
What is the difference between square metre (sq m) and hectare?
A square metre is defined as the area that is enclosed by a square, with sides measuring 1 metre. One sq m is equal to about 10.76 sq ft, and one acre is equal to around 4,047 sq m. While residential plots are generally measured in sq ft, agricultural land is measured in acres.
Hectare, on the other hand, is used for land sale, planning, and agriculture. One hectare is equal to 10,000 sq m.
Land measurement units and conversion example
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The most common land measurement units are square feet, acres and hectares. Here is an example that showcases measuring and converting land into widely used measurement units.
Converting Biswa to Acres
Biswa is commonly used as a land measurement unit in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Below is the process to convert a land measured in Biswa into acres for standardization:
in manual conversion, 1 Biswas is 0.03099 acres. Suppose the land area is 75,000 units of land in Biswa, which needs to be converted into acres; you can multiply it by 0.03099. 75,000 Biswa units of land x 0.03099 = 2,324.25 acres
Converting sq ft to gaj
The most commonly used term for real estate land measurements in India is sq ft. However, in many parts of North India, people prefer the measurements in gaj for better understanding. Here is the formula to convert area from sq ft to sq gaj:
1 sq ft is about 0.112 sq gaj
Example:
If you have land of 1,340 sq ft and you wish to know the area size in sq gaj:
1,340/0.112 = 150.33 sq gaj
How to use the area converter tool for land measurement?
The 99acres area conversion tool for land measurement helps you accurately calculate your property's measurements. The tool is easy to use and provides real-time results without any login or sharing of personal details. Here is how you can use the area converter tool for land measurements:
Step 1: Go to the area converter tool
Step 2: Select the State in which the property is located
Step 3: Select the unit from which you wish to change. For example, if you wish to convert 1490 sq ft into sq m, key in the numbers in the 'From' text box and select sq ft from the drop-down list of select units in front. Then, select the unit in the 'To' drop-down menu, and you will get the converted land measurements.
Land measurement units used in North India
Land measurement units used in South India
In addition to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the people of Maharashtra also use the term ‘Guntha’ to calculate land size.
Land measurement units used in East India
Both Dhur and Kattha denote different sizes, depending upon the State. While in Bihar, Dhur is over 68 sq ft, it is merely 3.6 sq ft in Tripura. In addition to Bihar and Tripura, Dhur is also commonly used in Jharkhand. Katha, on the other hand, is used majorly in West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam. Also, it is used in certain parts of Bihar, alongside Dhur. While the unit varies from State to State, it usually falls in the range of 600-2,800 sq ft.
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Land measurement units used in West India
Land measurement units used in Central India
Benefits of Land Measurement Units Calculator
Since India is a land of diversity, different states around the country use various land measurement units. Therefore, land area conversion often becomes confusing. In cases where a unified land measurement unit is not used, a land measurement unit calculator comes into play. The following are the benefits of the land area calculator.
Quick and easy calculation
Simple conversion of land units into lesser-known land metrics
The calculator allows you to make informed property-related decisions and derive the correct value of a property
Land measurement and administration officers in India
Administration and land measurement is a complicated task, typically managed by the land records administration of different states. Some important officers working on the task are as follows.
Tehsildar
Tehsildar holds the most authority in terms of land record management. If there is a crop loss in the region, the Tehsildar is the one to report losses to the higher authorities.
Naib Tehsildar
Next in line to the revenue officer is the Naib Tehsildar. This office oversees the work of revenue inspectors under them. They are in charge of two to three revenue circles in a State. They also manage the inspection and supervision of crop yield and its regional record. A Naib Tehsildar reports to a Tehsildar.
Revenue Inspector
A revenue inspector is the next in the hierarchy and assists the Naib-tehsildars and Tehsildars in maintaining the land records. In addition, they must keep a check on the Patwaris under them. The primary responsibilities of a Revenue Inspector include certifying mutation, surveying damages caused by natural calamities, preparing boundary marks inspection reports, etc.
Patwari
Patwari is considered one of the most important land officers and is primarily responsible for managing land records in the area (mainly villages or towns). Duties of a patwari include maintenance of village land records, measurements of fallow and agricultural land, keeping the land records updated and maintenance of crop records.
As the land measurement units vary across India, buyers are recommended to duly understand the land measurement conversions before closing transactions. This would help evade confusion and ensure transparency.
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