NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has taken a decisive step to resolve long-pending issues related to the identification, ownership and documentation of Abadi Deh land in the city’s rural areas.
A comprehensive survey of Abadi Deh areas will be conducted, followed by preparation, verification and computerisation of records within a defined legal and administrative framework, according to the Chief Minister’s Office.
The initiative aims to strengthen land management while providing villagers with legal proof of ownership and improved financial security.
Abadi Deh refers to the inhabited area within a village’s revenue boundary, comprising residential houses, cowsheds, threshing floors and other allied structures. Historically, these areas were excluded from agricultural land during pre-Independence surveys.
As a result, formal revenue records such as khasra or khatauni are largely unavailable for Abadi Deh land. This long-standing ambiguity has left residents without legal ownership documents, often leading to disputes and restricting access to institutional finance. Under the SVAMITVA Scheme, surveying Abadi Deh land and issuing property cards is intended to address these gaps by providing clear legal ownership.
CM Rekha Gupta said that for the effective implementation of the SVAMITVA Scheme—launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 24, 2020, on National Panchayati Raj Day—the government has prepared a draft of the Delhi Abadi Deh Survey and Record Management Rules, 2025.
The draft lays down a detailed operational framework, covering drone-based aerial surveys, field verification, public objection mechanisms, dispute resolution, creation of digital records and issuance of property cards.
The survey process will be carried out under the supervision of Revenue Department. Survey teams, along with technical agencies, will use modern technologies such as drones and aerial photography to accurately capture the location and size of plots across Abadi Deh and its extended areas. Ground verification will be done to ensure the mapped boundaries reflect on-site realities.