Buying a plot is one of the biggest financial decisions most families make, and in a fast-growing city like Varanasi, doing your homework before you pay a token amount can save you years of legal trouble later.
The single biggest risk in a plot purchase isn’t price, it’s paperwork.
Before you pay a token amount, check these five things
- Title chain – ownership history going back 12–13 years
- Encumbrance certificate – confirms no loans or disputes
- Mutation records – khatauni reflects the current owner
- Layout approval – VDA sanction and RERA registration
- Physical boundary – walked and verified on-site
1. Verify the title chain
Ask the seller for at least the last 12–13 years of title documents. A clean, unbroken chain of ownership is the single most important thing to confirm before you proceed.
2. Get an encumbrance certificate
This document, available from the sub-registrar office, confirms the plot is free of any loans, mortgages, or legal disputes.
3. Check the mutation records
The khatauni (revenue record) should reflect the current owner’s name. If it still shows a previous owner, ask why the mutation was never updated.
4. Confirm layout approval
For residential plots in an approved colony, check that the layout is sanctioned by the Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) and, where applicable, RERA-registered.
5. Walk the actual boundary
Site measurements on paper can differ from what is physically demarcated. Always walk the corner pegs with a surveyor before you finalise the deal.
| Document | What it confirms | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Title deed chain | Unbroken ownership history | Sub-registrar office |
| Encumbrance certificate | No pending loans or disputes | Sub-registrar office |
| Khatauni (mutation record) | Current owner’s name on revenue record | Tehsil / Lekhpal office |
| Layout approval | VDA sanction, RERA registration | VDA / RERA UP portal |
At Datterio Realty Services, our team completes all five checks before a plot is ever listed, so when you visit, the paperwork is already done.