Standard Land Measurement Units in India and Their Conversion

Land measurement in India has often brought around confusion during property purchase or sale due to the various units used across different regions in the country. These measurement units also often vary from one Indian state to another. One must thus make sure to gain a comprehensive understanding of these units and their conversions when proceeding with land area calculation during a sale or purchase to gauge the size differences.

One thus also needs to know about the various units in use to be able to gauge the measurement suitably for a given plot of land. It is also suggested to use specialised tools like a land measurement converter to keep the conversions accurate during the calculation of the area for a plot of land. So, here’s a look at the various units used in land measurement alongside their converted values to help you with suitable land area calculation irrespective of the unit in use.

Conversion of land measurement units in India – A look

In India, there are only a few measurement units that are mostly used, like square yards, hectares square feet, acres, square meters, etc. However, the sizes are not always the same in every state they differ depending on the name of units. 

Here is an idea of how the conversion of different units looks like –  

  • Bigha-Kachha is a common term in states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. 1 bigha-kachha is equivalent to 1008.33 square yards, which means around one-third of pucca bigha. 
  • In West Bengal, 1 chatak is equivalent to 180 square feet. Apart from chatak, katha is also a popular term in Bengal, 1 Katha equals to 16 chatak.
  • While in Tripura, Dhur is a popular land measurement unit. 1 dhur can be calculated as 3.6 square feet. On the other hand, 1 kattha is equivalent to 20 dhurs.
  • Parts of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand use Biswa as their land measurement unit. 1 biswa is equivalent to 45 square yards and 1/20 bigha.
  • In Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab, another term bigha-pucca is commonly used. 1 bigha-pucca equals to 3,025 square yards and 165 feet*165 feet.
  • In a few areas of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Bigha is a popular term which is equivalent to 968 square yards. 
  • Even in some places of Haryana and Punjab, individuals use killa as a measurement unit. 1 killa equals 1 acre and 4,840 square yards. 
  • In Jammu and Kashmir and a few parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, etc., kanal is a popular land measurement unit. 1 kanal equals 5,445 square feet, and similarly, 8 kanals are equivalent to 1 acre.
  • People in Assam mostly use lecha for the same purpose. Here, 1 lecha is comparable to 144 square feet, on the other hand, 20 lechas make 1 kathha. 
  • Bigha is primarily a common land measurement unit used in various parts of India. For instance, bigha is used in Gujarat and a few parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh as well. While in Gujarat and Rajasthan, 1 bigha equals 1,936 square yards, in Madhya Pradesh it is equivalent to 1,333.33 square yards. 
  • In Madhya Pradesh, kattha is equally popular and 1 bigha is similar to 20 kathas, whereas 1 katha equals 600 square feet. 

Apart from these units, some other popular terms like Decimal, Ghumaon, etc. can also be used in other states while measuring land. 

With this understanding of unit conversion for land area calculation, one must also take care of other essential aspects when assessing the land’s valuation for the purpose of purchase or sale. For instance, for an individual owning land in Delhi, he/she must also know about the circle rate in Delhi for a concerned locality when computing the property’s market price. 

Keeping such information handy should also help when utilising the property to avail funds, such as a loan against property. 

Lenders extending these credit options go for a thorough check of the property mortgaged, and sanction a loan accordingly. Property owners should also be ready with all the property documents when applying for such a credit to ensure hassle-free financing.

Reputed financial institutions further bring pre-approved offers to simplify the process of availing credit while saving valuable time. One can avail these offers several financial products, including loans against property and home loans. You can check your pre-approved offer by providing a few essential details, like your name and contact number.

Before applying, make sure to know about the selected loan against property in detail, and assess your EMI liabilities for convenient and affordable repayment.

Make sure to consider fees and charges for a loan against property and compare lenders to arrive at the best offer available.

As for land measurement, doing so correctly allows you to be ready with the available information when asked for by concerned authority, such as a financial institution. Keep a note of your area’s circle rate as well and stay updated of the average property prices in your city to assess its value better and apply for funding accordingly.