Tips for buying land in India
By Rishi Saraf
1. Avoid land owned by adivasis. To protect the rights of the adivasis from exploitation, the state government may have a provision in its laws that their land cannot be bought by purchase or taken on lease.
Although some people feel that such land can be bought, one needs to check with government department / patwari/ legal experts about the exact provision in your state.
2. Avoid land which does not have a legally valid approach road. The seller may say that the adjoining land owner will allow you to use his land for approach into the property you are buying.
If so, meet with the adjoining land owner and take legal opinion whether such arrangement is fool proof? What if in future he prevents you from trespassing his property?
3. Check to see whether there is water availability in/ near the land. It is advantageous if there is a well in the land or a lake/ stream nearby.
4. Check the type of soil. If the soil is hard, it is suitable for construction activity in the future.
5. Avoid land that gets severely water-logged or submerged in water in rainy season. e.g. one next to a river/nullah.