The Maharashtra government has announced sweeping changes to land survey charges and procedures, sharply reducing fees for family partition measurements and introducing fixed timelines for completing surveys. This move aims to ease public grievances and tighten administrative accountability.
New Fee Structure and Timelines
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule approved the revised framework, which mandates completion of regular land surveys within 90 days and expedited surveys within 30 days. The government stated that the changes address long-standing complaints over delays, procedural opacity, and alleged corruption in land measurement processes that affect property transactions, inheritance disputes, and development activities in both rural and urban Maharashtra.
Family Partition Measurements
Under the revised policy, measurement of land divided among family members through mutual consent or court partition orders will now cost only ₹200 per sub-division, offering major relief to families involved in inheritance settlements.
Rural and Urban Survey Charges
For rural areas, regular surveys of land parcels up to two hectares will cost ₹2,000, while expedited surveys will attract a fee of ₹8,000. In urban areas, regular measurement of plots up to one hectare has been fixed at ₹3,000, while fast-track surveys will cost ₹12,000.
Accountability Measures
The government has introduced stricter accountability measures for applicants and officials. If an applicant remains absent on the scheduled day of measurement, a revisit penalty amounting to 50% of the original fee — capped at ₹10,000 — will be imposed. However, if the surveying officer fails to remain present, no additional revisit fee will be charged to the applicant.
Special Cases
The revised structure further imposes one-and-a-half times the standard fee for surveys conducted under the Maharashtra Gunthewari Development Act. Applicants challenging measurements carried out by junior surveyors will have to pay three to five times the regular fee for higher-level verification.
Concessions for Institutions
Semi-government institutions will receive a 50% concession in survey charges, while fully government-owned lands will be eligible for a 75% waiver.
Minister's Statement
"By introducing fixed timelines and rationalised charges, we aim to make the survey process transparent, time-bound and citizen-friendly," Bawankule said. "These reforms will help eliminate unnecessary delays and reduce corruption in land measurement works."
Significance of the Move
The move assumes significance at a time when Maharashtra is witnessing rising land transactions, rapid urban expansion, and increasing litigation linked to property ownership and partition disputes. Revenue officials believe the standardised timelines and fee structure could improve efficiency in land administration and reduce the backlog of pending survey applications across the state.
