G.R. Dt. 7th May, 2026 – Department of Revenue and Forest – Sub- Assigning Separate Survey Numbers to Railway Properties in Maharashtra Land Revenue Records
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Assigning Separate Survey Numbers/Gutt Numbers/City Survey Numbers to the lands owned by the Railway Department in Village Maps and Record of Rights (Village Form No. 7/12, Property Card) and recording Entries therein in favour of “Government of India, Railway Department” under the column of Ownership Rights
Government of Maharashtra
Department of Revenue and Forest
Government Reslution No:- Sankirna-2025/Pra.Kra.236/Bhumapan/E-1346038
First Floor, Main Building, Mantralaya,
Madam Cama Marg, Hutatma Raj Guru Chowk,
Mumbai -400 032
Dated 7th May, 2026
Preface:-
In the State of Maharashtra, the Railway Department has acquired private lands for Railway lines and other various reasons. Moreover, several Railway lines have been in existence since the pre-independence era. The first survey as settlement work was undertaken in the State of Maharashtra during the period 1890-1930 and the same was undertaken in conformity with the prevailing Revenue Statues and Rules. At the time of original survey, the area, size and boundaries were demarcated as per the Survey Number of each village. Village Maps for each Survey Number of the village and the corresponding Record of Rights were prepared. At the time of the original survey and settlement, entries were taken in the Aakarbund in respect of the Railway Areas as “With Railways”. However, the Record of Rights do not indicate entries in respect of the Railway owned lands.
Section 79 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, provides that the State Government may commence survey of lands in any part of the state. Moreover, Section 89 stipulates that any survey carried out prior to the commencement of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code shall be deemed to have been undertaken under this Section. Furthermore, the Revenue Surveys and Sub-Division of Survey Numbers Rules, 1969 lay down the procedure for the purpose of Revenue Survey.
The Railway lines which existed prior to the Original Survey and Settlement conducted in the State of Maharashtra have not been recorded in the Village Maps, Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12, Property Card) vis-à-vis the ownership rights of Railways. While preparing the Records after the original survey, mainly:-
(1) Railway Lines have been indicated in the Village Maps. However, Record of Rights have not been prepared, but the Railway Areas have been specified in the Aakarbund Summary.
(2) In the instances of some villages, the lands covered by Railway Lines have been referred to as Road, or Street in the Village Map/Aakarbund.
(3) In case of villages where Amalgamation/Re-Survey Schemes were implemented after the original survey, the boundaries and area covered by the Railway Lines have been fixed in the Village Maps prepared after the Amalgamation/Re-Survey Schemes. However, entries do not appear to have been recorded in the Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12, Property Card) vis-à-vis the ownership rights.
(4) After the Original Survey, private lands have been acquired for the Railway Lines. However, entries have not been updated in the Village Maps and Record of Rights of the concerned villages (Village Form 7/12, Property Card) as per the acquisition.
Due to aforementioned reasons, the name of the Railway Department has not been entered in the Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12, Property Card). Hence, Court Cases are resulting from the encroachments made by the neighbouring holders. Some cases are sub-judice. Hence, the Government of India in the Ministry of Railway, has been in correspondence with the office of the Settlement Commissioner, seeking updation of the Village Maps and Record of Rights by entering the name of “Government of India, Railway” in the Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12, Property Card) in respect of the Railway owned lands.
As no action has been taken as stated above, disputes are arising over the ownership rights and boundaries of Railway areas. Hence, it has become imperative to record entries in favour of “Government of India, Railway” in the Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12, Property Card), as well as Village Maps vis-à-vis the ownership rights, since it is a State responsibility to protect and conserve the Government lands. In view of all these factors, the Government contemplated the matter of recording entries in the Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12, Property Card) in favour of “Government of India- Railway”. Accordingly, the Government has resolved as hereunder:-
Government Resolution:-
1. A clear look at the Maps and Aakarbunds of the original Survey Numbers prepared at the time of the Original Survey and Settlement shows that Railway Lines have been indicated in the Village Maps/Bandobust Maps for the Original Survey Number adjacent to the Railway Lines have been fixed. Moreover, it can be seen that in the entire Village Map, Railway Line is continuously indicated and shown to have entered another village. In such cases, the village-wise boundary of the Railway Line should be closed in the Village Map and a Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12) should be opened for the areas indicated in the Summary of Original Aakarbund as lying with the Railway. While preparing a village-wise separate areas, a Less and More Sheet should be prepared and a last Survey Number/Gutt Number should be assigned in the Aakarbund and the Original Revenue Village Map and under the column of Holder “Government of India, Railway” should be recorded. Moreover, under the Holding Type, an entry viz. “Government of India, Railway” should be recorded and under Column No.3 of the Aakarbund, the total area should be specified, while under Column No.4 “Pot Kharab” should be mentioned. Furthermore, the area specified in the Summary (Goshwara) should be deducted and the last Survey Number/Gutt Number should be mentioned under the Survey Number Column of the Aakarbund. District Superintendent of Land Records should take steps for the preparation of Less and More Sheet. Talathis, on the basis of such Less and More Sheets and Maps should proceed to record entries in red ink in their Vilage Maps, Village Form – One and Aakarbund and after opening a separate Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12) enter therein an entry in favour of the “Government of India – Railways” vis-à-vis the ownership rights.
2. In some villages in the State of Maharashtra, Amalgamation Schemes have been implemented, whereas in Nagpur Division Re-Survey Schemes have been undertaken. In the Village Maps prepared after the Amalgamation Schemes and Re-Survey Schemes, the boundaries of Railway Lines, the area under Aakarbund and the boundaries of the Survey Numbers and the Aakarbund Area fixed at the time of the Original Survey and Settlement appears to have been retained. However, entries regarding the ownership rights of the Railway occupied lands do not appear to have been made. In such cases, action should be taken as specified in the aforesaid Paragraph No. 01 and a separate Record of Rights (Village Form -7/12) should be prepared for such areas and the name of “Government of India, Railways” should be admitted, therein.
3. The boundaries are indicated in the Maps prepared at the time of Original Survey and Settlement and the boundaries of Railway Lines have been indicated in the Village Maps prepared after the Amalgamation Schemes/Re-Survey Schemes. Moreover, lands have been acquired for the expansion of Railway Lines by the Department of Railways during the course of implementation of Amalgamation Schemes. Accordingly, the boundaries of the Railway Lines have been corrected in the Gutt Number Maps/Re-Survey Village Maps and Revised boundaries have been indicated. However, instead of revising the area in the Aakarbund Summary in wake of Amalgamation Schemes/Re-Survey Schemes, it is shown as per the Map/Aakarbund of the Original Survey Number. In such cases, after ascertaining the area, steps should be taken as specified in the aforementioned Paragraph No. 01, a separate Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12) should be prepared for such areas and the name of the “Government of India, Railways” should be admitted therein.
4. In some cases, after Original Survey and Settlement, land acquisition has been undertaken for the Railways and accordingly, Less and More Sheet has been prepared. However, while preparing Less and More Sheet, instead of recording entries for the acquired areas in the Record of Rights (Village For 7/12), such areas have been indicated as lying with the Railways in the Summary of Less and More Sheet. In such cases, the Less and More Sheet should be enforced upon the Aakarbund and Village Maps and the acquired areas should be mentioned in the Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12) by taking entry in favour of the “Government of India, Railway” under the column of Holder.
5. Since the first Survey and Settlement conducted in the State of Maharashtra, Railway Lines have been expanded and new lines have been commissioned. For this purpose, land has been acquired and on the basis thereof, Railway lines have been expanded by the Railway Department after acquisition of land. However, in several villages, the entries in Revenue Village Maps, Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12 and Property Card) have not been updated in respect of the land acquired for Railway Lines, new Railway Stations and for such other reasons. In such cases, documents such as the Award in the Land Acquisition Case, Joint Survey Report, Maps, Possession Receipts, Compensation-Registers etc. should be obtained from the office of the District Collector or the concerned Land Acquisition Officer and after preparing Land Acquisition Less and More Sheet, Revenue Village Maps and Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12 and Property Card) should be updated. For this purpose, steps should be taken on the basis of the circulars issued, from time to time.
6. Upon verification of Records for the lands which have been acquired for Railway Lines, Railway Stations and other reasons concerned with the Railway Department, it can be seen that instead of Railway Lines, streets and ways have been specified in the Village Maps; Moreover, in the Summary of Aakarbund, the Railway occupied areas have been included in the areas of other ways. In this regard, a verification should be conducted at the level of the District Superintendent of Land Records on the basis of the Maps, Noting Extracts and Aakarbund Entries for the Original Survey Numbers and if the Village Maps and Aakarbund for the Original Survey Number call for any modifications, then after due satisfaction in this regard, such proposals should be got sanctioned from the District Collector under Section 155 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966 and the Village Maps and Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12) should be updated by adopting the Procedure specified in the aforesaid Paragraph No. 1.
7. At the time of Original Survey and Settlement, the Railway Lines were indicated in the Village Maps after conclusion of survey. However, the area, thereof, was not indicated in the Summary of Aakarbund. In some villages, the Railway Lines have been indicated by incontinuous lines and the area, thereof, was indicated as lying with the Railways under the column of Remarks in the Rights Registration Card. In due course, the Practice of Rights Registration stopped and Village Form 7/12 came into vogue. The area of Railway Lines indicated in the Remarks column of the Rights Registration Card have been indicated as Pot Kharab in Village Form 7/12. However, under the column of ownership rights in Village Form 7/12 the entry in favour of the Railways is not recorded. Hence, the missing entry for the Railway area needs to be taken under the column of ownership rights in Village Form 7/12 in conformity with the Rights Registration Card. Moreover, the boundaries indicated in Village Maps by incontinuous lines, instead, should be indicated by continuous firm lines and action should be taken, accordingly.
8. in the State of Maharashtra, Railway Lines pass through the boundaries of villages and cities, susceptible to City Survey/Gaothan Survey, where City Surveys and Gaothan Surveys have been conducted. Moreover, there are also Railway Stations and other Railway Department lands. In the City Survey Graphs, boundaries of such lands have been demarcated and their area is fixed. After ascertaining such lands, Property Cards should be opened and entries should be recorded in favour of the “Government of India – Railways” vis-à-vis the ownership rights. However, where City Surveys and Gaothan Surveys have been conducted in the villages and cities, but the boundaries and area covered by the Railway Lines passing through the villages and cities, as well as other Railway occupied lands have not been fixed, then in such cases, the District Superintendent of Land Records should obtain a Proposalconcerning the Railway occupied lands situated in villages, Peths, cities from the Railway Department and after obtaining sanction from the District Collector under Section 155 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, should proceed to take steps for updating City Survey Graphs and Property Cards. If any dispute arises over the boundaries and area during the course of such process, action should be taken as per the Circulars issued by the Settlement Commissioner and the Director of Land Records (Maharashtra State), Pune.
9. In order to facilitate the entire procedure described above, the District Collector in co-ordination with the Department of Revenue and the Department of Land Records should undertake a Joint Special Campaign for updating the Village Maps and Record of Rights (Village Form 7/12, Property Card) pertaining to the lands owned by the Railway Department.
10. This Government Resolution has been made available on the website of the Government of Maharashtra viz. www.maharashtra.gov.in and its Code Number is 202605071143425519. This Resolution is attested and issued under Digital Signature.
By the order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra,
PRATAPSINH MACCHINDRA KHARAT – Digital Signature
[Pratapsinh Kharat]
Desk Officer, Government of Maharashtra
To,
[1] The Secretary to the Hon’ble Governor, Raj Bhawan, Malbar Hill, Mumbai,
[2] The Additional Chief Secretary to the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Maharashtra State,
[3] The Secretary to the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister (Urban Development/Housing),
[4] The Secretary to the Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister (State Excise Duty, Sports and Youth Welfare, Minorities Development and Waqf),
[5] The Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Minister (Revenue), Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[6] The Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Minister of State (Revenue), Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[7] All Members of the Legislative Council/Legislative Assembly, Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[8] Private Secretaries to all Hon’ble Ministers/Ministers of State, Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[9] The Chief Secretary, Maharashtra State, Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[10] The Personal Assistant to the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue), Department of Revenue and Forest, Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[11] All Mantralaya Departments, Mantralaya, Mumbai,
[12] The Settlement Commissioner and the Director of Land Records, Maharashtra State, Pune,
[13] All Divisional Commissioners,
[14] All District Collectors,
[15] All Deputy Directors of Land Records,
[16] All District Superintendents of Land Records,
[17] The Accountant General (Accounts & Entitlement/Audit), Maharashtra -1/2, Mumbai/Nagpur,
[18] Select File (Desk- Bhoomapan), Department of Revenue and Forests, Mantralaya.
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[Text Translated by Adv. Prakash Manohar Chalke
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