11E Sketch and Podi: Buying Part of a Survey Number in Karnataka
Farm land and many plots on the edges of Bangalore are sold as a part of a survey number, such as one acre out of three. In Karnataka, such a sale depends on two survey records: the 11E sketch and the podi. This article explains what each record is, how the two fit with the RTC, where they are applied for and what a buyer should check before paying.
Survey Numbers and Hissa Numbers
Every piece of revenue land in Karnataka carries a survey number, given when the village was first surveyed. When a survey number is divided among owners, each piece receives a sub-number called a hissa, written as 75/1, 75/2 and so on. The RTC, also called the pahani, records the owner, the extent and the type of land for each of these numbers.
Trouble begins when the ownership has been divided but the land has not. Four brothers may each own a share of one survey number, with all four names on a single RTC. Each has a share in the whole, and none of them has a separate, measured piece to sell.
What Podi Means
Podi, also spelt phodi, is the formal subdivision of a survey number by the Survey Department. A surveyor measures the land, marks each owner's portion on the ground and draws it on the survey map. Each portion then receives its own hissa number and its own RTC.
Podi is usually done in one of two situations. The owners themselves may apply to have a joint holding divided, which is often called tatkal podi. A podi also follows the sale of a part of a survey number, so that the buyer's portion is carved out in the records.
For a buyer, a completed podi is the best starting point. The seller's name appears alone on an RTC whose extent matches the land on offer, and the survey map shows that piece with its own boundaries.
What the 11E Sketch Is
The 11E sketch is a survey drawing of the exact portion that is about to be sold, gifted or partitioned. It is prepared before the deed is registered, which is why it is also called the pre-mutation sketch. Karnataka introduced it in 2006, and it is required whenever a deed covers only a part of a survey number.
A licensed surveyor visits the land, measures the portion and draws it within the outline of the full survey number. The sketch shows the dimensions, the extent and the neighbouring holdings on each side. The sub-registrar asks for it at the time of registration, and the deed refers to it.
The sketch solves an old problem. A deed that sold "one acre in Sy. No. 75" without a drawing left nobody sure which acre had changed hands. With the 11E sketch, the portion sold is fixed on the map before any money is paid at registration.
How the Records Fit Together
Several survey records describe the same land, and a buyer's lawyer reads them side by side. The main ones are listed below.
| Record | What it shows |
|---|---|
| RTC (pahani) | Owner, extent, land type and any loans or government claims |
| Tippani | The original field measurements of the survey number |
| Akarband | The settled extent of the survey number, including kharab land, and its assessment |
| Village map and survey sketch | The position and shape of each survey number |
| 11E sketch | The portion to be transferred, drawn before registration |
| Mutation register | Each change of ownership and the order that approved it |
The extent in the RTC should agree with the extent in the akarband. Where the two differ, the Survey Department first corrects the records through a process called durasti. The correction can reduce the extent on paper, so the price should be based on the corrected figure.
Kharab land deserves a separate look. It is the part of a survey number recorded as unfit for cultivation, such as a rock outcrop, a cart track or a stream. Kharab that serves the public, such as a path or a stream, belongs to the government and cannot be sold with the land.
Where to Apply
Applications for the 11E sketch, podi and related survey services are made through Mojini, the online system of the Karnataka Survey Department. They can also be filed at the Nadakacheri or the taluk office. The application names the survey number, the owners and the extent to be measured, and a fee is paid for each survey number.
The application is allotted to a surveyor, who sends a notice of the date of measurement. The owners of the adjoining lands are also informed, so that boundaries are agreed on the ground. The approved sketch is then issued with its own number, which the buyer can verify online.
After the sale deed is registered, the details pass to the revenue office for mutation. The buyer's name is entered, the portion receives its hissa number and a new RTC is created. A buyer should collect that RTC and the mutation extract to complete the file.
Sites in Approved Layouts
These survey records apply to revenue land that still has an RTC. A site in an approved residential layout is identified by its site number in the sanctioned layout plan and by its khata. The developer converts the whole land and obtains layout approval before the sites are sold.
The survey records still matter for the land under the layout. The developer's title, the conversion order and the survey sketch of the parent survey numbers are part of the title check. A site sold as "a share of the survey number" with no approved layout plan is a warning sign.
Checks Before Paying
A buyer of a part of a survey number should settle the points below before paying an advance.
- Read the latest RTC and confirm that the seller's name and extent match the land on offer.
- Ask whether the podi is complete, or whether several owners still share one RTC.
- Obtain the 11E sketch for the portion and verify its number on the Mojini system.
- Compare the extent in the RTC, the akarband and the sketch, and ask about any durasti.
- Check the kharab entry and confirm that it is left out of the extent being sold.
- Walk the boundary with a surveyor and match the stones on the ground with the sketch.
- Collect the mutation extracts and the encumbrance certificate for the full title period.
- After registration, follow up the mutation until the new RTC is issued in the buyer's name.
The steps for the boundary walk are covered in our guide to plot boundary checks. Contact us for help with choosing an approved plotted project in Bangalore.