In short: Across India, families regularly inherit land they cannot find. The sale deed and Encumbrance Certificate are intact, but the plot — described by a survey number and boundaries fixed decades ago — is invisible on the ground, the offices are unresponsive, and the survey number may be flagged as prohibited or under court dispute. This is a records problem, not a lost-land problem. The fix is the same everywhere: use an RTI to pull the official survey and dispute records, separate your plot from any litigation, and file a survey/demarcation application so the government physically identifies your land. Only the terminology changes by state — this guide gives you both.
Why an Inherited Plot Becomes "Untraceable"
A plot bought in the 1970s, 80s or 90s was described by a survey number, an extent, and boundaries that referenced neighbours and landmarks. Decades later — especially on the fast-growing fringes of Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, Vijayawada and other cities — those physical references are gone, the survey number may have been sub-divided or renumbered, and the records moved from paper to portals. The land still exists; what is missing is the official identification of where it sits. Local agents cannot supply that, because only the revenue/survey department holds the Field Measurement Book (FMB) and conducts surveys.
The Universal 3-Step Method (Works in Every State)
- Pull the official records by RTI. Get the survey-number history and the field measurement records (FMB / Tippani / TIPPAN), and — if the survey number is flagged — the prohibition or court-dispute basis and the orders relied on.
- Separate your plot from any litigation or prohibition. Establish whether your specific plot/extent is actually part of a court case, or whether the whole survey number was blocked when only a few plots were. This over-inclusion is the single most common trap.
- File a survey / demarcation application. A formal application makes the government surveyor physically measure and identify your plot against the records — the step that actually puts your land back on the map.
What Changes by State: Terminology That Matters
The method is identical; the names are not. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh use a formal Section 22A prohibited list. Karnataka has no 22A — a court stay is noted in the RTC’s liabilities column, and granted lands are restricted under the PTCL Act. Maharashtra has no 22A either — disputed land is blocked through court orders / lis pendens, and restricted-tenure lands need the Collector’s permission. Use the right term for your state:
| State | Land record | Prohibition / dispute flag | Locate-the-plot survey | Final appeal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telangana | Dharani / Bhu Bharati | Section 22A prohibited list (Registration Act) | FMB · Mandal Surveyor | TG State Information Commission |
| Andhra Pradesh | Meebhoomi / Webland (IGRS AP) | Section 22A prohibited list (court-disputed land is a category) | FMB · Mandal Surveyor · resurvey | AP State Information Commission |
| Karnataka | Bhoomi / RTC | Court stay noted in RTC Column 11 (Liabilities); PTCL for granted land — no “22A” | Mojini V3 · Tippani / Podi / 11E sketch · DDLR / ADLR | Karnataka Information Commission |
| Maharashtra | Mahabhulekh 7/12 · Bhunaksha | Court order / injunction (registration refused); lis pendens; restricted tenure (Class II / Inam) needs Collector permission — no “22A” | DILR · pot-hissa · TIPPAN · City Survey | Maharashtra State Information Commission |
| Uttar Pradesh | Bhulekh (Khatauni / Khasra) | Court dispute tracked via RCCMS | Paimaish (Lekhpal / Amin) | UP State Information Commission |
Section 22A of the Registration Act applies in Telangana & Andhra Pradesh. Karnataka and Maharashtra use different mechanisms (court-stay/RTC entries, PTCL, lis pendens, restricted tenure) — there is no “22A” in those states.
State-Specific Guides
For the exact records, authorities and a copy-paste RTI for your state:
- Telangana — inherited plot you cannot locate, survey number in the 22A list (the original case)
- Andhra Pradesh — inherited plot you cannot locate, survey number in the 22A list
- Karnataka — coming soon (court stay in RTC Column 11 · Mojini survey)
- Maharashtra — coming soon (court order / lis pendens · DILR survey)
Related: land missing from Meebhoomi (AP) · gata missing from Bhulekh (UP) · RTC not available on Bhoomi (Karnataka) · 7/12 not available on Mahabhulekh (Maharashtra).
Documents to Keep Ready
- Original registered sale deed
- Encumbrance Certificate (EC)
- Pattadar passbook / RTC / 7-12 / Khatauni, if any
- The deceased owner’s death certificate
- Legal-heir / family-member details
- Survey number, village and mandal/taluk/tehsil
- Approximate year of purchase
- Any case numbers or prohibition reference noticed
Common Questions
I have the sale deed but cannot find the land. Is it lost?
Usually not. The land exists; what is missing is its official identification on the ground. An RTI for the survey records plus a survey/demarcation application physically locates it. We have traced plots families could not find for months.
The whole survey number is blocked, but only some plots are in court. What do I do?
File an RTI for the court order and the specific litigated plots/extent. It often shows the whole survey number was flagged when only a few plots were — the basis to free your plot. In Telangana/AP this is the 22A list; in Karnataka it is a court-stay entry in the RTC; in Maharashtra a court order / lis pendens.
Does this work outside these states?
The 3-step method is national. Every state has a land record, a way of flagging disputes, and a survey/demarcation process — only the names differ. We identify the correct ones for your state.
How much does it cost?
The government RTI fee is ₹10 (BPL applicants exempt). Our drafting-and-filing service starts at ₹399.
What if the office does not reply?
You can file a First Appeal under Section 19(1), then a Second Appeal to the State Information Commission. We draft the First Appeal free if a department misses the deadline on an RTI we filed.
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