Buying Land in Mullanpur (new Chandigarh)

Who can buy agricultural land? Section 4 of the Punjab Land Reforms Act, 1972 (Act No. 10 of 1973) caps what a person or family may hold. We found no clause in the text we read that limits the buyer by domicile or occupation; the copy is a 2005 printout, so a Punjab revenue lawyer should confirm there is no later restriction.

Ceiling limits: under Section 4(2) the permissible area is 7 hectares of two-crop irrigated land, 11 hectares of one-crop irrigated land and 20.5 hectares of barani land, with other classes capped at 21.8 hectares. A family of more than five gets one-fifth extra per additional member, for at most three members. Section 12 makes a transfer beyond the limit void (Act text, Punjab Land Records Society). A 2017 amending Bill took land bought for housing, industry, tourism and institutions outside the Act and asks the buyer to tell the Collector of the change of use within a year (Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Bill 33-PLA-2017).

Shamlat Deh — the parcel that cannot be sold: under the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 this land vests in the Gram Panchayat, which may dispose of it only for the benefit of villagers and, under the rules, with prior government approval; the Collector decides disputes over its status. A private seller therefore cannot give a buyer title to it. Match every khasra number against the seller's current Jamabandi before paying any advance; the state reported in Tribune, June 2025 that its Easy Jamabandi portal issues free digitally signed copies with a QR code.

NRI Power of Attorney: a power-of-attorney sale does not transfer title; in Suraj Lamp & Industries v State of Haryana (Supreme Court, 2011) the Court held that only a registered deed of conveyance does, though an attorney may sign that registered deed for the owner. If the seller is abroad, read the PoA for an express power to sell and for its registration.

NRI & OCI buyers: the Reserve Bank's Master Direction under FEMA 1999 lets NRIs and OCIs buy immovable property other than agricultural land, plantation property or a farm house. That applies across India, Punjab included.

By road and rail

Read this before relying on distances

A township road shown on a master plan can be unfinished, unlit or disconnected, and the Tribune reported GMADA missing three deadlines for one bridge. Drive the real approach to the khasra in daylight and after dark, and ask GMADA in writing which agency maintains each road and whether the land falls in any pooling, acquisition or township notice.

Growth catalysts

Upcoming infrastructure & developments

Status labels maintained by the Farmland India research desk. Government-announced timelines — not guaranteed.