Khatian and mouza map: how to check land records in West Bengal before you buy

Every land deal in West Bengal rests on two documents most buyers never read properly: the khatian, which says who owns the land, and the mouza map, which shows where the land actually is. Sellers know this. Some count on it.

You can check both online in about fifteen minutes. Here is how, and what to look for once the record is on your screen.

What a khatian is, and how it differs from a parcha

A khatian is the record of rights for a set of plots in a mouza (a revenue village). It lists the owners, their share, the plot (dag) numbers they hold, the area of each plot and how the land is classified.

A parcha is a printed copy of that record. In everyday Bengal usage, people use the two words for the same thing. What matters is that the government record matches the names on the seller's deed.

You will see two sets of numbers on older land: RS (Revisional Settlement) and LR (Land Reforms). The LR numbers are the current ones. If a seller only shows you RS numbers, ask for the LR version before you go further.

How to search a khatian on Banglarbhumi

The state land records site, Banglarbhumi, lets anyone search the record without logging in.

1. Open Banglarbhumi and go to Citizen Services, then Know Your Property.
2. Select the district, block and mouza.
3. Choose to search by khatian or plot (dag) number, and enter it.
4. Fill the captcha and submit.
5. Save the page as a PDF. Note the date you checked it.

The result shows the recorded owners, father's or husband's names, each owner's share, the plot area and the land classification. Online records are indicative. For a registration, get a certified copy, which you can apply for online through the state's e-services or at the Block Land and Land Reforms Office (BL&LRO).

How to get the mouza map for a plot

A mouza map is the survey map of the whole revenue village, with every dag drawn and numbered. It shows the shape of your plot, which plots touch it, and whether it actually reaches a road.

You can view plot boundaries on Banglarbhumi's map view for free. For a deal, apply for a certified copy of the village map or the plot map. Fees are small, and it usually takes one to two weeks.

With the map in hand, check three things on it:

• Access: is there a recorded road or passage to the plot, or is the only way in through someone else's land?
• Shape and size: does the drawn plot roughly match what the seller is showing you on the ground?
• Neighbours: is the next dag a pond, a canal or government land? That changes what you can build.

Red flags on a khatian

These are the problems we see most often when we check land records for buyers:

• Names do not match. The record still shows a dead parent or grandparent. That means mutation was never done, and every legal heir has to sign. See our guide to mutation, khajna and parcha.
• Share is less than what is being sold. The seller owns a third of the plot and is selling you all of it.
• Wrong classification. Land recorded as agricultural (shali) or a water body cannot simply be built on. Conversion to homestead (bastu) needs permission, and filling a pond is generally not allowed.
• Vested or khas land. If the record shows the state as owner, walk away.
• The recorded area is less than the area in the deed. Pay for the smaller number, or do not pay at all.

Khatian, mouza map and survey: do all three

The record of rights tells you who owns what on paper. A mouza map tells you where it is on paper. Neither tells you whether the boundary wall the seller built is on the right line.

For any land purchase, have a licensed surveyor (amin) measure the plot against the mouza map before you pay the advance. It costs a few thousand rupees. Getting it wrong costs the land.

Our land buying checklist covers the full set of checks, and our land for sale page lists plots we have already checked.

Buying a flat? You still need the khatian

If you are buying a flat in a new project, the land under the building still has a khatian. Ask the developer for the land record and the development agreement with the landowners. RERA registration helps, but it does not replace a title check. Our guide to verifying RERA registration shows what the registration does and does not cover.

Send us the dag and khatian number

Before you pay an advance on any plot or house in West Bengal, send us the mouza and dag number. We will pull the record and the mouza map, and tell you what does not add up.

See our rentals service, browse verified properties, or talk to our legal and loan help desk. We are a RERA-registered agent, WBRERA/A/HOW/2025/000651. This is general guidance and not legal advice; check the specifics for your property with a professional.